Full text of "Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site: Historic Structure Report"

See other formats

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2012 with funding from

LYRASIS Members and Sloan Foundation

http://archive.org/details/fredericklawolms03card

FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
HISTORIC STRUCTURE REPORT

Brookline, Massachusetts

VOLUME 3

Marie L. Carden

and

Andrea M. Gilmore

Northeast Cultural Resources Center

Northeast Region, National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Written 1990

CONTENTS - VOLUME 3

I. THE BARN, SHED. AND FENCES; PHYSICAL HISTORY

AND ANALYSIS 1

THE BARN (Gilmore and Carden, 1987-1989) 3

INTRODUCTION 5

ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY 6

Date of Construction 6

Description as Originally Built 6

Location 6

Exterior Elements 7

Interior Elements 8

Additions/ Alterations 9

Moving the Barn Circa 1883 9

Addition of the Carpentry Shop Circa 1884 9

Alterations Prior to 1909 11

Alterations Circa 1910 13

Alterations After Circa 1910 14

Restoration Work of 1981-1988 15

EXISTING CONDITIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 16

FIGURES 17

Contents Volume 3

THE SHED (Gilmore, 1987) 41

INTRODUCTION 43

ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY 44

Date of Construction 44

Description as Originally Built 44

Exterior Elements 44

Interior Elements 46

Additions/ Alterations 47

Creation of the Garage Circa 1905 47

Changes Circa 1905-1983 51

Restoration by the National Park Service 53

EXISTING CONDITIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 54

FIGURES 55

THE FENCES (Gilmore, 1987) 65

INTRODUCTION 67

SPRUCE POLE FENCE 68

Architectural History 68

Existing Conditions and Recommendations 72

STONE WALL 73

WIRE LINK FENCE 73

Architectural History 73

Existing Conditions and Recommendations 74

Contents Volume 3

STOCKADE BOARD FENCE 75

Architectural History 75

Existing Conditions and Recommendations 76

LATTICE FENCES 77

FIGURES 79

BARN AND SHED: APPENDICES 125

APPENDIX A. Exterior Finishes Analysis 127

APPENDIX B. Molding Proffles 135

APPENDIX C. Barn Doors 141

APPENDIX D. Shed Mortar Analysis 145

H. PRESERVATION/RESTORATION RECOMMENDATIONS:

THE ENTIRE SITE 149

PRESENT CONDITION OF THE SITE 151

IMPACT OF USE ON INTEGRITY OF STRUCTURES 153

HI. BIBLIOGRAPHY 155

LIST OF FIGURES AND CREDITS - VOLUME 3

Barn

1. Plans, elevations, and sections for the barn (at left). Measured drawing

by Rebecca Trumbull for the Historic American Buildings Survey (sheet 13

of 13), 1982 19

2. Barn: East elevation, 1989. NPS photograph by Marie Carden 20

3. Barn: North and west elevations, 1989. NPS photograph by Marie Carden 21

4. Barn: West and south elevations, 1989 (carpentry shop is at right). NPS

photograph by Marie Carden 22

5. Site plan of the Olmsted property, before 1883, showing barn in its original

location. Frederick Law Olmsted NHS Archives (Plan 673-Z48) 23

6. Barn: "Framing - North Elevation." NPS drawing by Andrea Gilmore, 1982;

final drawing by Jana Gross, 1990 24

7. Barn: "Framing - South Elevation." NPS drawing by Andrea Gilmore, 1982;

final drawing by Kurt Faust, 1990 25

8. Barn: "Plan - Second Floor Framing." NPS drawing by Andrea Gilmore,

1982; final drawing by Jana Gross, 1990 26

9. Site plan, April 28, 1883. Frederick Law Olmsted NHS Archives (Plan

673-20-sh. 1) 27

10. "Carpentry Shop, Roof Framing." NPS drawing by Andrea Gilmore,

1982; final drawing by Jana Gross, 1990 28

11. "Carpentry Shop, Roof Construction Details." NPS drawing by Andrea

Gilmore, 1982; final drawing by Jana Gross, 1990 29

12. "Carpentry Shop, Floor Framing Plan." NPS drawing by Andrea Gilmore,

1982; final drawing by Jana Gross, 1990 30

13. East elevation of house, showing barn in new location with chimney for
carpentry shop, February 15, 1885. Photograph courtesy of the John
Charles Olmsted Collection, Frances Loeb Library, Graduate School of

Design, Harvard University 31

14. Barn: South and east elevations, circa 1885 (carpentry shop is at left).
Photograph courtesy of the John Charles Olmsted Collection, Frances

Loeb Library, Graduate School of Design, Harvard University 32

List of Figures and Credits Volume 3

15. Barn: South and east elevations, circa 1885. Photograph courtesy of the John
Charles Olmsted Collection, Frances Loeb Library, Graduate School of Design,
Harvard University 33

16. Barn: North elevation, September 7, 1896. Frederick Law Olmsted NHS

Archives (Photograph 673-4) 34

17. "Present Condition (Nov. '09). Measured Plan of 1st Floor of Stable."

Frederick Law Olmsted NHS Archives (Plan 20-8-sh. 3) 35

18. "Present Condition (Dec. 9 '09). Plan of 2nd Floor of Stable." Frederick

Law Olmsted NHS Archives (Plan 20-8-sh. 2) 36

19. "First-Floor Plan, Proposed Alterations to Stable," November 9, 1909;
revised November 12 and 27, 1909. Frederick Law Olmsted NHS

Archives (Plan 20-8-sh. 1) 37

20. Interior of barn, circa 1930, during its use as a modeling shop. Frederick

Law Olmsted NHS Archives (Personnel Records, Framed Prints) 38

21. Barn: Conjectural second-floor plan, circa 1930. NPS drawing, based on
documentary and physical evidence, by Andrea Gilmore, 1982; final

drawing by Jana Gross, 1990 39

Shed

22. Plans, elevations, and sections for the shed (at right). Measured drawing
by Rebecca Trumbull for the Historic American Buildings Survey (sheet

13 of 13), 1982 57

23. Shed: West and south elevations, 1986. NPS photograph by Andrea Gilmore 58

24. Shed: East elevation, 1986. NPS photograph by Andrea Gilmore 59

25. Shed: West and south elevations, circa 1914. Frederick Law Olmsted NHS

Archives (Photograph 673-101) 60

26. Site plan for the Olmsted property, June 30, 1914. Frederick Law Olmsted

NHS Archives (Plan 20-39) 61

27. Shed: East elevation, November 1914. Frederick Law Olmsted NHS Archives
(Photograph 673-100) 62

28. Shed: East elevation, March 1916. Frederick Law Olmsted NHS Archives
(Photograph 673-105) 63

List of Figures and Credits Volume 3

Fences

29. Site plan for the Olmsted property, March 17, 1983. Prepared by Foster
Paulette and Rolf McQueary of the University of Virginia, School of Archi-
tecture, Division of Landscape Architecture. Frederick Law Olmsted NHS

Archives 81

30. Spruce pole fence: site plan for front driveway arch, circa 1883. Frederick

Law Olmsted NHS Archives (Plan 673-Z38) 82

31. Spruce pole fence: site plan for front driveway arch, circa 1883. Frederick

Law Olmsted NHS Archives (Photograph 673-Z37) 83

32. Spruce pole fence: plan of front driveway arch, circa 1883. From a drawing
entitled "Clark Place. Gateway as Executed." Frederick Law Olmsted NHS

Archives (Plan 673-17-tcl) 84

33. Spruce pole fence: elevation of front driveway arch, circa 1883. From a
drawing entitled "Clark Place. Gateway as Executed." Frederick Law

Olmsted NHS Archives (Plan 673-17-tcl) 85

34. Spruce pole fence: elevation of front driveway arch, circa 1883. From a
drawing entitled "Clark Place. Gateway as Executed. "Frederick Law

Olmsted NHS Archives (Plan 673-17-tcl) 86

35. Spruce pole fence: front driveway arch, February 15, 1885. Photograph
courtesy of the John Charles Olmsted Collection, Frances Loeb Library,

Graduate School of Design, Harvard University 87

36. Spruce pole fence: front driveway arch, Dudley Street curve, circa 1885.
Photograph courtesy of the John Charles Olmsted Collection, Frances Loeb

Library, Graduate School of Design, Harvard University, 88

37. Spruce pole fence: front driveway arch covered with euonymus, circa 1890.

Frederick Law Olmsted NHS Archives (Photograph 673-107) 89

38. Site plan for the Olmsted property, 1887. Frederick Law Olmsted NHS

Archives (Plan 673-20-sh. 3) 90

39. West elevation of the house, showing the site's fences, circa 1885.
Courtesy of the John Charles Olmsted Collection, Frances Loeb Library,

Graduate School of Design, Harvard University 91

40. Spruce pole fence along Dudley Street and back driveway, March 1885.
Courtesy of the John Charles Olmsted Collection, Frances Loeb Library,

Graduate School of Design, Harvard University 92

vin

List of Figures and Credits Volume 3

41. Spruce pole fence along back driveway, circa 1887. Photograph courtesy of
the John Charles Olmsted Collection, Frances Loeb Library, Graduate School

of Design, Harvard University 93

42. Spruce pole fence, looking down back driveway, September 7, 1896.

Frederick Law Olmsted NHS Archives (Photograph 673-4) 94

43. Site plan for the Olmsted property, 1904. Frederick Law Olmsted NHS

Archives (Plan 673-1) 95

44. Site plan for the Olmsted property, May 6, 1915. Frederick Law Olmsted

NHS Archives (Plan 673-25-tpl) 96

45. Spruce pole fence: post, rails and poles, 1908. Frederick Law Olmsted NHS

Archives (Photograph 673-55) 97

46. Spruce pole fence: back driveway. This undated view is thought to date to
1902-1912, after the Plan Vault was built, but before its second level was

added. Frederick Law Olmsted NHS Archives (Negatives; no number or date) 98

47. Spruce pole fence: gate at northeast corner of North Drafting Wing, circa

1930. Frederick Law Olmsted NHS Archives (Photograph 673-149) 99

48. Site plan for the parking lot, showing surrounding fences, September 11,

1926. Frederick Law Olmsted NHS Archives (Plan 673-46) 100

49. Spruce pole fence, looking from Dudley Street into the back driveway and
rear parking lot, circa 1935. Frederick Law Olmsted NHS Archives

(Photograph 673-156) 101

50. Spruce pole fence: front driveway arch, after rebuilding, circa 1930.

Frederick Law Olmsted NHS Archives (Photograph 673-144) 102

51. Spruce pole fence: front driveway arch, circa 1930. Frederick Law Olmsted

NHS Archives (Photograph 673-148) 103

52. Spruce pole fence: dismantling of existing fence during the 1984 rebuilding.

NPS photograph by Andrea Gilmore 104

53. Spruce pole fence: setting new fence posts during the 1984 rebuilding. NPS
photograph by Andrea Gilmore 105

54. Spruce pole fence: reconstruction of the front driveway arch during the 1984
rebuilding. NPS photograph by Andrea Gilmore 106

55. Spruce pole fence: reconstruction of the front driveway arch during the 1984
rebuilding. NPS photograph by Andrea Gilmore 107

List of Figures and Credits Volume 3

56. Spruce pole fence: front driveway arch completed during the 1984 rebuilding.

NPS photograph by Andrea Gilmore 108

57. Stone wall, circa 1885. Photograph courtesy of the John Charles Olmsted
Collection, Frances Loeb Library, Graduate School of Design, Harvard

University 109

58. Wire link fence, 1986. NPS photograph by Andrea Gilmore 110

59. Wire link fence, 1986. NPS photograph by Andrea Gilmore Ill

60. Wire link fence at south side of shed, circa 1920. Frederick Law Olmsted

NHS Archives (Photograph 673-100) 112

61. Stockade board fence, circa 1986. NPS photograph by Andrea Gilmore 113

62. Corner of stockade board fence, circa 1986. NPS photograph by Andrea

Gilmore 114

63. Stockade board fence: gate to wood yard, and spruce pole fence along
back driveway, May 31, 1901. Frederick Law Olmsted NHS Archives

(Photograph 673-16) 115

64. Stockade board fence: gate to wood yard, circa 1920. Frederick Law

Olmsted NHS Archives (Photograph 673-16) 116

65. Stockade board fence: detail of newel of section along west side of barn,
circa 1930. Frederick Law Olmsted NHS Archives (Photograph Albums,

Model Book #1, A-L) 117

66. Lattice fence of service yard, circa 1885. Photograph courtesy of the
John Charles Olmsted Collection, Frances Loeb Library, Graduate School

of Design, Harvard University 118

67. Lattice fence around laundry yard, 1910. Frederick Law Olmsted NHS

Archives (Negatives; no number or date) 119

68. Lattice fence along the basement area way of the Planting Department,

May 31, 1901. Frederick Law Olmsted NHS Archives (Photograph 673-17) 120

69. View of north elevation of the house, circa 1903, showing the lattice fence
removed from the service yard. Photograph courtesy of the John Charles
Olmsted Collection, Frances Loeb Library, Graduate School of Design,

Harvard University 121

List of Figures and Credits Volume 3

70. Lattice fence of laundry yard during construction of the pool, circa 1968.
Frederick Law Olmsted NHS Archives (Photograph Albums, Job #673;

loose photograph, no number) 122

71. Lattice fence of laundry yard during construction of the pool, circa 1968.
Frederick Law Olmsted NHS Archives (Photograph Albums, Job #673;

loose photograph, no number) 123

72. Lattice fence of laundry yard, after reconstruction in 1986. NPS photograph

by Andrea Gilmore 124

I. THE BARN. SHED. AND FENCES:
PHYSICAL HISTORY AND ANALYSIS

THE BARN

INTRODUCTION

The barn is a frame structure located on the west side of the office complex. It is connected
to the house by a covered passageway. The barn consists of three distinct sections— the original
barn, a carpentry shop, and an open storage shed. Figures 1-4 show the building as it exists today.

The barn originally stood diagonally across from the southwest corner of the house. It was
used as a stable and for hay storage. The barn was moved to its present location by Frederick L.
Olmsted, Sr., soon after he acquired the property in 1883. Few changes appear to have been made
to the barn itself at that time, but a carpentry shop was added to the south side of the barn shortly
thereafter (circa 1884). The barn underwent some remodeling prior to 1909: doorways and windows
were added or altered, store rooms were created on the interior, and an open storage shed was added
to the north side (figs. 17-18). The first story of the barn was extensively remodeled circa 1910 (fig.
19). By 1914, the entire barn had been taken over for office-related use. An insurance map of that
year lists the first floor of the barn as being occupied by the Modeling Room and Soil Testing
Laboratory, while the second story was used for the Janitor's Sleeping Room and for Lumber
Storage.1 By circa 1930, it is thought that the second story had a dark room and storage for prints
and photographs (fig. 21).

During Olmsted's lifetime and through the early years of the 20th century, the barn was
painted dark red with green trim. When acquired by the National Park Service, it was painted green.
In 1988, it was painted red with green trim (see "Barn and Shed: Appendix A"). Since acquisition
by the National Park Service, the barn has been used for the site's maintenance shop and for storage.

Insurance map, 1914.

ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY
Date of Construction

The date of construction of the barn is unknown. No building permit exists for this structure.
The earliest tax records that list the barn are for 1867. The entry reads "Clark, S.D., M.S. and
S.B.R. - House Warren St. 2500, Barn 300 Land 2a," so the barn was clearly standing by this
date.2 However, it was probably built before 1867: the tax records from prior years only list the
dollar value of the property, rather than the buildings that were located on the property. Therefore,
the records cannot be used to identify the exact year of construction.

Early maps and atlases of the Town of Brookline were also checked to see if they showed
the barn. Three maps— the 1844 E.F. Woodward map, the 1855 T. & J. Doane map, and the 1871
H.T. Whitman map— all show the Clark House, but no outbuildings.3 These maps, however, do
not show outbuildings on any other properties, so they cannot be used to date the year of
construction of the barn. The earliest atlas found showing the barn is the 1884 J.M. Hopkins Atlas
of the Town of Brookline.

Given this limited documentation, the date of construction of the barn can only placed
between 1810, the date of construction of the house, and 1867, when the barn is first listed in the
tax records. For convenience, this report will refer to the original portion of the barn as the circa-
1867 barn.

Description as Originally Built

Location

The barn, unlike the other buildings at the Olmsted site, has been moved from its original
location. It is shown on a pre-1883 site plan for the property (fig. 5). On this plan it is located
southwest of the house, at the edge of the hill. A driveway ran across the south lawn, providing
access to the barn from Warren Street. To date, no archaeological investigation has been done to
verify the location of the barn as shown on this site plan; however, it is assumed that it is relatively
accurate.

2 Brookline Reports, 1867.

3 These maps are on file at the Brookline Public Library.

Barn Architectural History

Exterior Elements

Foundation

Landscape alterations have occurred in the area where the barn originally stood, and no
archaeological investigations have been conducted there. Thus, nothing is known about the barn's
original foundation. It seems likely that it was similar to the existing foundation— flat fieldstone laid
with mortar on the ground's surface. The floor was either dirt or wood. The sills have no pockets
for floor joists; however, the joists might have rested on top of the sills.

Walls

The framing of the original barn included 8-inch-square sills (fig. 6). Pinned to the sills with
mortise and tenon joints were 8-inch-square posts. The girts and plates measured 6 inches square.
They are joined to the posts with mortise-and-tenon joints. Both the first- and second-story walls
of the barn are reinforced with 4-inch-square horizontal and diagonal bracing. The creation of the
tall wagon doorway in the east wall caused the elimination of the girt and bracing in the center of
this wall. Figures 7 and 8 illustrate the barn's original wall and second-story framing, respectively.

The original exterior- wall covering consisted of flush sheathing boards 12-16 inches wide.
The sheathing boards were placed vertically and ran the full height of the wall. These sheathing
boards were secured with cut nails.

The exterior cladding on the north, south, and east walls of the original barn was clapboards.
The clapboards had butted ends and a 4-inch reveal. They were originally painted white. (See
"Barn and Shed: Appendix A," sample FRLA 03 POM.) The west wall of the barn was shingled.
It is not known if the original shingles were painted, since all of them have been replaced.

The existing corner boards, cornice, and gable trim are plain boards 4 1/2 inches wide. They
are not original, but appear to be similar to those shown in the early photographs of the barn. The
original paint color on this trim is not known.

Doorways and Windows

There is little hard evidence about the locations of doorways and windows in the original
barn, due to limited photographic documentation and extensive later alterations. Photographs taken
circa 1885 (figures 14-15) show the east elevation with a large central doorway with full-width
transom, and a second-story window with a single two-light sash. The two doors in the doorway
do not appear to have slid open along the exterior of the wall. Although these photographs were
taken a year or two after the barn was moved, the doorway and window may be original features
retained at that time.

Physical evidence suggests that the south elevation had two matching first-story windows; two
such were extant when the carpentry shop was added to the barn. Both windows were severely
altered at that time. The western window was enlarged to create a doorway between the barn and
the carpentry shop. Portions of its framing, however, remain along the west side of the doorway.

Barn Architectural History

The eastern window had its sash removed, but its entire frame is still in place. This window opening
measures 2 feet 5 1/2 inches wide by 2 feet 3 1/2 inches high. The window frame is 4 1/2 inches
wide. It is unlikely that the second story of the south elevation had any windows originally, since
the north elevation did not.

The north elevation apparently had no windows in either story originally. One did exist in
each story in 1909 (see figures 17-18), but both seem to date to the pre- 1909 remodeling. This is
based on physical evidence for the first-story window, and on photographic evidence for the second-
story window.

The first story of the west elevation probably had the four windows and one doorway seen
in the 1909 plan (fig. 17). Such openings would have been needed functionally. However, the
doorway probably did not have its "sliding" door at that time, as will be explained shortly. The
doorway seen in the second story in 1909 (fig. 18) was probably not original, since there would have
been no need for such a doorway in a barn. The age of the window at the west end of the second
story is unknown.

Roof

The circa- 1867 portion of the barn had a ridge roof. The ridge pole was 8 inches square.
The rafters measured 3 by 8 inches, except for the two major framing rafters, which were 6 inches
square. The placement of the rafters varies from 3 feet 2 inches to 4 feet 2 inches on center. The
gable-end rafters were braced diagonally to the ridge pole.

Interior Elements

Plan

The barn interior consisted of three bays, defined by two-story posts connected by east- west
beams. Physical evidence of any original partitions has been almost completely obliterated by later
alterations. Most of the original interior framing members have either been moved or replaced.
Also, the existing concrete floor has covered over any marks from former partitions that might have
been found on floorboards, floor joists, and sills. Nevertheless, some information has been gleaned
from the portions of original framing that remain (see figures 7-8), and from existing-condition floor
plans prepared in late 1909 (figs. 17-18). It seems likely that:

- the center bay of the barn was open to the roof, to provide access for hay wagons;

- the north and south bays of the barn had second stories, for hay storage; and

- the first story of the north bay contained horse stalls.

Barn Architectural History

Floors

The composition of the original first floor is unknown, because of the later installation of the
present concrete floor.4 The second-story floors of the north and south bays were supported by
beams and girts connecting the two-story posts of the center bay. The floor joists appear to have
rested on top of the beams and girts. Their ends were cut so that they would not shift off the
horizontal framing members. Some of the existing floor joists may be original. They vary
considerably in size and placement, and there is no physical evidence to conclusively determine
which joists— if any— are original building fabric.

Finishes

The interior of the barn was originally unfinished.

Additions/ Alterations

Moving the Barn Circa 1883

Soon after Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr., purchased the Brookline property in 1883, he moved
the barn from the south lawn to its present location. The precise date of this work is not known.
The barn is shown in its new location on a site plan dated April 28, 1883 (fig. 9). However, this
drawing may have been done before the actual move: the plan also shows both the original outline
and the proposed 1883 alterations to the house, and so may be a study drawing. At any rate, the
barn was probably moved in 1883. This is based on the knowledge that the carpentry shop was
extant by February 1885 (fig. 13), and on physical evidence that the barn was moved sometime prior
to the construction of the shop. The barn probably continued in use as a stable: stalls were still
extant on the first story in 1909.

Addition of the Carpentry Shop Circa 1884

The carpentry shop was added by Olmsted, Sr., to the south side of the main barn probably
in 1884. As stated previously, the physical evidence indicates that the shop was definitely built
sometime after the move. At the west end of the south wall of the barn is an area of replacement
sheathing boards and clapboards (see figure 7). This work was obviously done after the barn was
moved, but while the wall was still an exterior elevation. The carpentry shop was in place by
February 1885, however; the chimney for it is seen in figure 13. Therefore, 1884 seems a logical
date of construction. The shop was a one-story structure measuring roughly 27 by 12 feet.

4 Editor's note: by 1998, the concrete had been covered with asphalt.

Barn Architectural History

Exterior Elements

Foundation and Walls

The shop had a rubblestone foundation with mortar. The east, south, and west walls of the
shop were of stud-frame construction. (The north wall consisted of the former exterior south wall
of the main barn.) Wood sills sat on the stone foundation. The stud walls were 2 by 4s. The east
wall was 4 inches thick; the studs were 2 by 4s set on edge. The south- wall studs were also set so
that the wall was 4 inches thick; the window framing was constructed with 3 by 4s, except for the
easternmost window (see the subsequent section "Windows"). The west- wall studs were set so that
the wall was 2 inches thick.

The sheathing boards of the east, south, and west walls of the shop were nailed horizontally
to the studs and covered with clapboards.

Doorways

Figure 17 indicates that the carpentry shop had two exterior doorways by 1909. One was
centered on the east wall of the shop. It may have been original to the construction of the shop; this
section of wall is not seen in figures 14-15. Alternatively, it may have been created circa 1900. Its
door, which appears to be the exterior door of the house's former North Entry, would not have
become available for reuse until the North Entry was remodeled circa 1900. The door measures 1
foot 1 1 inches wide by 6 feet 7 inches high. The other doorway, at the east end of the south wall
of the shop, led to the breeze way connected to the servants' wing of the main house. It presumably
was original to the construction of the shop, due to the convenient access it provided to the barn
complex.

Windows

The carpentry shop now has three windows on the south elevation, and a large sliding
window on the west elevation. All but the easternmost south- wall window are original. That one
consists of post-construction materials, and its opening is framed differently than those of the other
south- wall windows. This window may be a replacement window in an original opening, or it may
be a later addition. The south- wall windows have six-over-six, double-hung sashes. The large
window in the west wall has five vertical sashes. The two northernmost sashes are hinged to open
from the top.

Roof

The slight east-to-west pitch of the carpentry shop's shed roof was obtained by making the
west-wall studs shorter than the east- wall studs. The roof rafters ran north-south. Their north ends
rested on a 3 by 4 is nailed directly to the side of the main barn. Their south ends rested on 3 by
4s nailed to the top of the south- wall studs. There were 13 roof rafters, made of 2 by 8s (fig. 10).
These were placed 22 inches on center and were spiked onto the top of the 3 by 4s (fig. 11). The
original roof covering was canvas. The east edge of the roof was ornamented with a latticework
"eaves balustrade" 2 feet 8 inches high (fig. 14).

Barn Architectural History

Interior Elements

Plan

The interior of the carpentry shop consisted of one large space with tool benches along the
south wall, and a stove on the north wall, by 1909 (fig. 17). This could well have been the original
plan.

Floor

The asphalt-covered concrete floor of the carpentry shop is probably original. The shop's
floor level was approximately 14 inches above that of the main barn floor. The floor joists ran
north-south and were supported by randomly placed brick piers. The joists measured 2 by 8 inches
and were placed 22 inches on center. Their south ends were set into pockets in the sill (fig. 12);
their north ends were toe-nailed into the original sill of the barn. The flooring was two boards thick.
The original floor has a layer of building paper between the subflooring and the finish flooring. The
floorboards are painted brown.

Walls

The south wall of the shop consisted of the exposed wall framing. The west wall was
covered with 5-inch beaded boards. The east wall was covered with 5-inch beaded boards that were
whitewashed. The north wall was covered with clapboards that were the former exterior wall
cladding of the original barn's south elevation. (These were originally painted red, but were
whitewashed when the shop was constructed.)

Related Alterations to the Main Barn

The two original first-story windows in the barn's south wall were altered when the carpentry
shop was built over the lower part of that wall. The west window was converted to a doorway to
the carpentry shop; a patched area is visible on the west side of the doorway (see figure 7). The east
window was closed. A chimney was built at the south end of the roof of the main barn, to vent the
stove installed in the carpentry shop (see figures 17-18).

Alterations Prior to 1909

Changes to the Main Barn

The barn underwent some remodeling between 1883 and 1909. A possible date for this work
is circa 1900, when the doorway in the east wall of the carpentry shop received a door from the main
house. Some of the changes can be discerned by comparing the circa 1885-1900 photographs of the
barn (figs. 14-16) with the two 1909 plans showing the barn's "present condition" (figs. 17-18).
However, many areas of the barn are not documented by early photographs; determining the extent
of alterations there is more problematic.

Barn Architectural History

Exterior Elements

The first story of the east wall retained its large center doorway with five-light transom.
However, its doors were changed to ones that slid open along the exterior of the wall. Also retained
were the two regular doorways at either end of the wall (fig. 14). A third regular doorway was
added just north of the large center doorway (fig. 17). The window at the north end of the second
story (fig. 14) was converted to a doorway for supplies (fig. 18). Another second-story window was
created at the south end of the wall (fig. 18).

The first story of the north wall probably received one window near the east end during the
pre- 1909 remodeling. A window is here today; it is early, but does not appear to be original. (It
is smaller than the original, south wall windows were, and its frame has fewer layers of paint.) The
early photographs are of no help: this area is concealed by trees in figure 16. The pre- 1909
remodeling definitely included the addition of a window at the second-story level: figure 16 shows
no windows here in 1896, while figure 18 shows one small one at the west end in 1909.

On the south wall, a second-story window was probably added at this time. As explained
previously, it was probably not original, but it did exist by 1909 (fig. 18).

Figure 17 shows a sliding doorway and four windows in the first story of the west wall.
Figure 18 shows a glazed second-story doorway above the sliding doorway, with one window to the
south of it. As explained previously, it is likely that the first-story doorway and windows were
original. The sliding door was probably installed at the doorway during the pre- 1909 remodeling,
as were the east wall's sliding doors. The second-story doorway with glazed door was undoubtedly
added during that remodeling, as explained previously; the age of the window is unknown.

Interior Elements

On the first story, the north bay continued in use as a stable up until 1909, but the east half
of the south bay was partitioned off to make a large room prior to 1909 (fig. 17). The room may
have been used to store bicycles, based on a later drawing (fig. 19). In the second story, the north
and south bays were divided into store rooms, with "lumber racks" in the center bay (fig. 18).

The pre- 1909 changes were the first of consequence for the interior of the main barn. It is
thus likely that the matched-board sheathing and whitewash presently on the interior walls of the
main barn may have been installed at this time.

Changes to the Carpentry Shop

Exterior Elements

The lattice strip above the east wall of the carpentry shop was removed at some point. This
may have happened by 1903, when most of the other lattice fencing around the service yard was
gone.

Barn Architectural History

Addition of the Open Shed

An open shed was added to the north side of the barn before 1909 (see figure 17). The roof
is constructed with wire nails, which indicates a post- 1890 construction date, and the shed appears
on the 1904 site plan. It thus may have been built circa 1900, when other changes were made to the
carpentry shop and barn. It was an open-sided frame structure measuring 27 by 12 feet.

Exterior Elements

Walls. The north side of the shed consisted of three 6-inch-square posts seated on cement
blocks on the ground. Beams measuring 6 inches square ran along the tops of the posts.

Roof. The shed roof of the wood-storage shed pitched from south to north. It was framed
with 2 by 4s, placed 49 inches on center and running east-west. The 2 by 4s rested on 2 by 8s
running north-south; their south ends were nailed to the wall of the barn, while their north ends
rested on the three posts. Roof sheathing was tongue-and-groove pine boards 9 inches wide and
three-quarters of an inch thick. The shed roof was originally covered with rolled asphalt.

Windows. The window at the east end of the north wall of the barn was altered sometime
before 1930, as evident by the red paint on the "new" shingles around the window. (Paint analysis
indicates that the barn was painted red during the 1885-1930 period.) Originally the window had
five panes of glass with a vertical fluted muntin. The north portion of this window was replaced
with a hinged window containing two vertical sash; the muntins are not grooved.

Interior Elements

Judging by figure 12, there were no interior features of the open shed.

Alterations Circa 1910

A number of alterations were made to the main barn circa 1910 to accommodate the needs
of the expanding Olmsted firm. These are shown on a November 1909 first-floor plan entitled
"Proposed Alterations to Stable" (fig. 19). There is no plan for the second story (although figure
19 does includes a section drawing that shows a new second-story floor for the south bay). This
suggests that no other changes were contemplated for that space. Likewise, no structural changes
were proposed for the carpentry shop and the open shed, although the carpentry shop may also have
been used as a small modeling room.

Changes to the Main Barn

On the first story, the center and south bays were to be converted for use as one large
modeling room. No structural changes were proposed for the north bay, but the old stalls were to
be used for additional modeling and storage space.

Barn Architectural History

Exterior Elements

Doorways. A new concrete apron was installed for the large doorway in the center of the
east elevation. The old double doors of this doorway were retained but altered: each of the doors
was fitted with a 12-light sash replacing an "old batten panel in upper part." The transom over the
doorway was retained. The existing doorway west of the double doorway (leading to the old Bicycle
Room) was retained, but its door was "newly glazed." On the west elevation, the sliding door was
removed and a new hinged, glazed door was installed farther north in the wall.

Windows. The existing east- wall window south of the double doors was enlarged. The same
was true of the southern window in the west elevation. A new window was created where the sliding
door was formerly. The three existing northern windows in the wall window were retained
unchanged.

Roof. Figure 19 suggests that new roof rafters measuring 3 by 10 inches were installed.

Interior Elements

Floor. The center and south bays of the main barn received a new concrete floor at first-
story level. A new wooden floor was installed in the second story of the south bay.

Walls. The west and north partitions of the room in the east half of the south bay were
removed, along with shelves in that room, and a closet that apparently existed along the west side
of that room. A glazed partition was built in the general location of the former west partition wall.

The south wall of the room— i.e., the east end of the south wall of the main barn— was also
to have been removed, to permit the construction of a new coal bin in this area. However, the
section of wall was never removed: it still retains its original clapboards from the time when it was
the exterior south wall of the barn.

Ceiling. The ceiling over the west half of the south bay was sheathed with new stock. A
new work bench was added at the south end of the west wall, below the enlarged window here.

Stairway. The old stairway along the south side of the center bay was relocated to the north
side of the bay, and the old stairwell was closed.

Other. A new gas stove was added for melting glue.

Alterations After Circa 1910

The Main Barn

Figure 20 is a photograph of the interior of the first story of the barn circa 1930, when it was
being actively used as the modeling shop. Figure 21 is a conjectural drawing of the second-story
plan, based primarily on physical evidence and documentation for the circa- 1930 period.

Barn Architectural History

At some point, the old transom over the large east-elevation doorway was replaced with four
two-over-two windows (fig. 2). The pre- 1909 doorway north of that doorway was converted to a
window with six-over-six, double-hung sashes (fig. 2). Louvered panels were added to the north and
south gable ends of the main barn (figs. 3-4). The early second-story window at the west end of the
north wall was enlarged, and two more windows were added here (fig. 3). Finally, the center of
the west roof slope was raised slightly, to provide more headroom for the doorway here (figs. 3-4).

The Open Shed

Also at some point, storage closets were built along the south wall of the shed, and shelving
racks were installed at ceiling height. The latter consisted of 3 by 4s spaced about 2 feet 8 inches
on center and running north-south. Intermediate support was provided by the closet wall.

Restoration Work of 1981-1988

The barn was in serious disrepair due to deferred maintenance when the Olmsted site was
purchased by the National Park Service. The Park Service repaired the barn first, since this building
was to house the workshop that would be needed to repair all of the other buildings at the site.

Figures 7-8 includes structural repairs made to the barn in 1981-1982. Extensive structural
repairs were made to the carpentry shop in 1982-1983. The south, west, and east sills were
replaced, along with the west half of the north sill. Floor joists were replaced at the north end of
the shop. New floor joists, subflooring, and finish flooring were installed at the west end of the
shop, where the original floor materials had been removed in 1960 during the installation of a cement
base for the pool pump. The carpentry shop roof, originally covered with canvas, was stripped and
given a four-ply built-up asphalt felt roof with bitumen surface in 1982.

The roof of the open shed was originally covered with rolled asphalt roofing. It was later
reroofed with asphalt shingles, and still later with more rolled roofing. In 1983, the most recent
rolled roofing on the shed's roof was stripped and replaced with asphalt shingles. The main barn
was reroofed with asphalt shingles in 1985-1986.

Finally, the entire barn was painted in 1988, on the basis of information obtained from the
paint analysis conducted for the barn ("Barn and Shed: Appendix A").5

5 See also Completion Report: Contract No. CX 1600-8-0017, NARO - Exterior Painting of Various
Buildings and Structures (Boston: North Atlantic Historic Preservation Center, North Atlantic Region,
National Park Service, 1988).

EXISTING CONDITIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The barn is now fully restored and in very good condition. It is used for the Olmsted's site
maintenance shop and for storage. The barn should continue in this use, and its building fabric
should be maintained in its present state.

FIGURES FOR THE BARN

On
00
ON

c
o

a
o

cd
u

F— I

1-
£

•a
u

c
a.

BARN

FRAMING

7' -4'

-8Mx8'

3'-ir

12' -3'

26' -3'

North Elevation

Not to Scale

Figure 6. Barn: "Framing - North Elevation.

■
00

*CO

(f)

Q
LU

o
oc

LU
Q
LU
DC

> <

LU DC

I DC

h- <

3 CD

O _j

00 <

2 O

S n

cq ^

T3 CVJ
CD 00
O I

CO r-
o 00

c
E

CO "O

I- CD

C CO

2 o

7777
■ !■■

555

•s

•*

•a

1—

•

t-»

T»

0£

(/>

«•

•s.

>»

fl>

% nnnstst^mi¥frmYV^c^^rr-^j^?^r "--*u»MySff

o
ex,

-»r^^v~'»~«~^i^ K

1st

x,
o

c
cu

'it
>

X-

•\

OJ
CO

CARPENTRY SHOP

ROOF FRAMING

3" x 4 nailed to original barn

-U

U-J

U-

-u

3" x 4 nailed to top of studs

2" x 8" rafters approximately l'-lO"
on center, are nailed to the top of
3" x4M beam.

-beam cut out
above door

Figure 10. "Carpentry Shop, Roof Framing.

CARPENTRY SHOP

ROOF CONSTRUCTION DETAILS

DETAIL - SECTION

ROOF RIDGE SHOWING END BEAM
AND RAFTER

DETAIL - SECTION
RAFTER AND PLATE JOINT

Figure 11. "Carpentry Shop, Roof Construction Details.

CARPENTRY SHOP

FLOOR FRAMING PLAN

6 holes for wiring

Floor joists 2"x8"
places 22" on center.

Joists supported by
brick piers - South side
tenoned and pinned into
sill - North end toe-nailed
into sill of original barn.

Two layers of floorboards
original floorboards
9" - 11" wide with
building paper on top.

East half of room retains
its original floorboards-
West half new, will be replaced

ROOM MEASURES 26' -6" X 12-0

Figure 12. "Carpentry Shop, Floor Framing Plan.'

00
00

o
-a

w
o

3
O

O
.fa

"53
o

-;**'.- *«

CO
so

Lsl

r^ i l tmav<,

>
o

c
o

'-5
c
o
U

| ^-' -1 I

* '■■>

»-

.Jr-L

-Jr=

* s

•

•i

(*■

■

-1

•a

On
O

a
o

'•a
a
o
U

l-H

<L>

D.
O

'■'«-.',*

o
CO

»— «

at
O

.S
u

a.
o

T3
O

s
i

<*«
o

five closets with shelving

CD C
^ 03

t/j
-1-1
U

negative drawers with
shelving above

-o

O
O

•H

a
o

CNI

•H
TO

5' -8'

X! CO CO

Qi 4-» O

cB -H o

12' -3"-

THE SHED

INTRODUCTION

The shed at the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site has also been called the garage
and the tool shed in the years since it was erected. This report will call it the shed. It is a simple
frame structure located near the northwest corner of the barn, along Fairmount Street. Built circa
1885 by Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr., the shed was designed to conform to the slope of the hill into
which it was built (see figure 22). Its western end is two stories high (fig. 23), with the first story
underground; its eastern end is one story high (fig. 24).

The shed is built on a rubblestone foundation. It has a post-and-beam frame and is sheathed
with 9-inch tongue-and-groove boards. Its gable roof exhibits a saltbox form: the east slope is long
and sloping, reflecting the gradual slope of the hill, while the west slope is shorter and steeper in
pitch. Into the west side of the gable a cross gable was built circa 1905. The roof is presently
covered with asphalt shingles.

The shed appears to have been built primarily for tool storage. Circa 1905 it was extensively
remodeled to accommodate a garage for an automobile on the upper level, and a root cellar at the
western end of the lower level. The shed is presently used for storage.

ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY

Date of Construction

The exact date of construction of the Olmsted shed is unknown. Neither a building permit
nor Olmsted correspondence relating to its erection has been found. In this absence, two atlases of
the Town of Brookline— those produced by CM. Hopkins in 1884 and G.W. Bromley in
1888— provide the best documentation for the shed's date of construction. In the Hopkins atlas, only
the house and barn are shown on the site plan of the Olmsted property, but four years later, the
Olmsted site plan in Bromley's atlas included the shed. These atlases establish a date of construction
for the shed between 1884 and 1888. For the purposes of this report, it has been given a
construction date of circa 1885.

Physical evidence found in the shed supports a circa- 1885 date of construction. The cut nails
used to secure the original sheathing boards, floorboards, and roof shingles are typical of those used
for alterations made to the Olmsted buildings during the 19th century.5 The presence of two sets
of shingle nails in the original sheathing boards under the west roof slope further supports a
construction date of circa 1885. Entries in the account book of Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. for the
period March 14, 1905 to June 6, 1906 indicate that the cross gable was built into this roof slope
in 1905. Since the life expectancy of a wood-shingle roof at the turn of the century was at least 15
years, the two sets of roof nails suggest a construction date of at least 20 years earlier.

Description as Originally Built

Exterior Elements

The shed, as originally built, was a rudimentary frame structure with an asymmetrical,
saltbox-type gable roof. It appears to have had no windows; the only openings in its exterior walls
were two doorways, located in its east and west elevations.

Foundation

The original foundation of the shed was rubblestone, laid with a tan mortar. The mix for this
mortar was approximately 5 parts sand to 3 parts lime.6 At the west end of the shed— the end that
was built into the hillside— the foundation walls were 18 inches thick and 9 feet 3 inches high. At
the east end, the foundation walls were 12 inches thick, and they sloped down to a height of 2 feet.
In the west end of the shed, at a height of approximately 6 feet, there is a clear change in the wall
construction. Below this height the stones are large and cut, and the mortar is even with their faces.

5 Derived from a comparison of nails used for the construction of the Carpentry Shop circa 1885 (cut
nails) and those used for the circa- 19 10 alterations to the barn (wire nails). All nails are on file at the
Northeast Cultural Resources Center, Lowell, MA.

6 See Appendix D, samples FRLA 04 M001-M002, M009, and M011.

Shed Architectural History

Above this height the stones are small, irregular, and parged with a hard, dark brown mortar. The
reason for this change in wall construction is unknown. However, it does not appear to indicate that
the two portions of the wall were built at different times: it would have been impossible for the
existing, original building to have been built on a foundation that was 3 feet lower than the existing
foundation.

The cellar of the shed was bisected by an interior rubblestone wall located 7 feet 9 inches
west of the east foundation wall (see figure 22, cellar plan). The wall was approximately 5 feet thick
at its base, 2 feet 6 inches thick at a height of 6 feet, and approximately 8 inches thick above 6 feet.
This wall supported the east wall of the first story, which in turn helped to carry the load of the long
east roof slope. Only the west side of the wall runs all the way up to the ceiling; the east side stops
at a height of 6 feet. The west side appears to be original: it has the same change in method of
construction at a height of 6 feet that is found in the exterior walls. The east side, although unevenly
finished, is also considered to be original: its lower portion contains the same type of mortar used
in the other circa- 1885 shed walls.

Walls

The primary framing system for the shed was post and beam (see figure 22, section). The
sills measured 4 by 6 inches, and were laid directly on the stone foundation. The 4-inch-square
corner posts were tenoned and pinned to the sills and the plates. The plates measured 3 by 4 inches,
except for the east plate of the upper level, which was a 4 by 6.

The original secondary framing for the east wall of the shed consisted of a horizontal 2 by
4 running between the corner posts, and two vertical 2 by 4s used to frame the door. Most of the
original secondary framing in the west wall was removed when the garage doorway and cross gable
were installed circa 1905. Remnants of a horizontal 2 by 4 here suggest that it was framed similarly
to the east wall. The doorway opening may have been slightly wider, however, since this was the
primary storage area.

The secondary framing of the north and south walls of the shed included one 2 by 4 per wall.
These ran parallel to the walls' sills, at a height of approximately 2 feet 9 inches, and were nailed
to the corner posts. (They thus were horizontal in the west portion of the shed, and sloping in the
east portion.) These 2 by 4s provided lateral bracing for the structure, as well as a nailing surface
for the vertical sheathing boards. These were the only secondary framing members in the north and
south walls of the east section of the shed. The north and south walls of the west section of the shed
each had two additional 2 by 4s, set vertically and approximately 6 feet apart. These were toe-nailed
to the wall's sill, to the horizontal 2 by 4, and to the wall's plate. Above the plate, another 2 by 4
ran vertically up to the ridge of the gable. Still another 2 by 4, placed horizontally, was toe-nailed
to this vertical member and the roof rafters at the tops of the walls.

The first story also contained an interior framing system positioned above the interior cellar
foundation wall described previously. This framing system helped transfer the load of the long east
roof slope down to the interior foundation wall. The framing consisted of four diagonally placed 3
by 4s that were toe-nailed to the sill and the plate.

Shed Architectural History

The exterior cladding of the walls of the shed was vertical tongue-and-groove pine boards
9 inches wide. These were attached with cut nails. The exterior surface of the boards was left
rough. Paint samples taken from the sheathing boards indicate that originally they were unpainted.7
In addition, the portions of the cladding boards behind the north- window casing are unpainted. This
indicates that the shed remained unpainted until at least circa 1905.

Doorways and Windows

The only exterior openings in the circa- 1885 shed appear to have been doorways in the east
and west elevations. Only the east doorway remains intact; the west doorway was removed circa
1905. The nails used to construct the east doorway are cut nails. The door is constructed with the
same vertical boards as were used for the exterior cladding boards. It consists of four 9-inch boards
and one 4-inch board, all 6 feet 3 inches long, that are nailed to two horizontal boards. The door
was originally hung with two 14-inch T-strap hinges; the lower of these hinges has been replaced.
A Norfolk latch, of which only a fragment of the upper portion remains, was the only other original
hardware on the door.

The west doorway and door were probably similar in construction to the east doorway and
door. It may have been slightly larger, however, since it provided access to the shed's primary
storage space.

Roof

The rafters for the shed roof are 2 by 6s, with the exception of the end rafters, which are 2
by 8s. They are placed approximately 1 foot 10 inches on center. Their lower ends are toe-nailed
to the plates; their upper ends are toe-nailed to a ridge board measuring 1 foot by 8 inches. The east
rafters, whose span is roughly 27 feet, are supported near their midpoint by the plate of the east wall
of the first story (see the previous section, "Walls"). A bird's-mouth cut allows them to lie securely
on this plate.

The roof sheathing is tongue-and-groove boards of random widths, secured with cut nails.
The original roof covering was wood shingles. Nailing patterns suggest that the exposure of the
original shingles was similar to that of the second wood shingle roof, remnants of which remain
under the circa- 1905 gable roof. The exposure of those shingles was 5 inches.

Interior Elements

Plan

The shed has two levels, a cellar and a first story (see figure 22). The cellar is divided into
two rooms by the interior foundation wall discussed previously. Of these two, the west room is
completely below ground. The first story appears to have been one large room originally. The

7 See Appendix A, "Shed Finishes," sample FRLA 04 POOL

Shed Architectural History

interior framing system positioned above the cellar's interior foundation wall bisected the space, but
there is no evidence that this system was ever sheathed to form a wall.

Floors

No evidence has been found for floor framing in the cellar of the shed; it is assumed this
floor was originally dirt. The original first-floor framing remains in place east of the interior
framing system (see figure 22). The floor joists are 2 by 6s, placed east- west approximately 1 feet
6 inches on center. Their west ends are set into the rubblestone interior wall; their east ends are toe-
nailed to the plate. The floorboards are butt-edge, vertically sawn, and of random widths. They are
held in place with cut nails.

Evidence of the original first-floor construction in the west portion of the story was destroyed
when the existing floor was installed circa 1905. At that time, all of the original floor joists and
floorboards were removed and destroyed. There is no discernible patching in the interior rubblestone
walls where the original joists might have been located. The original floor joists were probably set
on the finished edge of the stone foundation wall. The size and placement of these joists is
unknown; however, it seems probable that they were 2 by 6s notched at the ends, since this would
have produced a floor fairly level with that in the east portion of the story.

Walls and Ceilings

All of the interior surfaces of the shed's foundation walls are presently whitewashed; it is not
known if this was the case originally. The interior walls of the first story of the shed were
unfinished.

Doorways and Windows

The interior foundation wall in the cellar had two double doorways in its center, each with
a pair of hinged doors.

Additions/ Alterations

Creation of the Garage Circa 1905

In 1905, the Olmsted shed was extensively remodeled. This work transformed the structure
from a simple tool storage shed into an "automobile house," with a root cellar below. The date of
1905 has been assigned to these alterations on the basis of entries in the account book of Frederick
Law Olmsted, Jr. for the period March 14, 1905, to June 6, 1906. 8 These entries relate to the
carpentry work on the "automobile house," and to the purchase of a gasoline tank.

8 Account book of Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., March 14, 1905-June 6, 1906. Frederick Law Olmsted
NHS.

Shed Architectural History

The entries read as follows:

21 November 1905 $30

S.E. Bowser & Co.
255 Atlantic Avenue
Gasoline Tank

December 14, 1905 $110.11

Albro T. Shorey
Automobile House
Carpenter

December 8, 1905 $15.96

Clark and Mills
Electric Co. acct.
Automobile house

January 3, 1906 $14.38

Standard Oil Co. of N.Y.
125 gals, motor gasoline

January 3, 1906 $8.50

Albro T. Shorey a/c
auto house

January 6, 1906 $41.95

Kenrick Brothers
Plumbing labor and supplies
for auto house

Wire nails used in the construction of these alterations further support this date. A circa-
1914 photograph of the shed (fig. 25) confirms that the alterations had been completed by that time.
Figure 26, a site plan dated June 30, 1914, shows the gasoline tank on the north side of the shed.

West Portion of the Shed

Exterior Elements

The west part of the shed was extensively altered during the 1905 remodeling. It became the
garage.

Addition of Cross Gable. A cross gable was built into the west slope of the main gable roof.
This gable spanned the full width of the roof slope; it overhung the west wall of the shed by 1 foot
3 inches, and ran back to the roof ridge. The framing for the cross gable consisted of four rafters,
running north-south. The rafters were 2 by 4s, placed roughly 1 foot 9 inches on center. The

Shed Architectural History

westernmost rafter was nailed to the corner posts of the shed; the other rafters were nailed to the
main roof rafters and sheathing boards. At their apex, these rafters were nailed together. The cross
gable was clad with butt-edge boards of random widths, secured with wire nails. Originally, the roof
of the cross gable was covered with wood shingles (fig. 25).

The raking eaves of the cross gable were trimmed with a cyma recta molding (see "Barn and
Shed: Appendix B," shed profile A). The tympanum of the cross gable was covered with wood
shingles. These shingles, which remain today, have an exposure of 5 to 5 1/4 inches. The top edge
of the shingled area is trimmed with a rectangular wooden nailing strip.

Alteration of Doorways. The primary reason for building the cross gable was to permit the
conversion of the doorway in the west wall of the shed into a garage doorway. The original height
of this wall— 7 feet 3 inches— did not provide adequate clearance for such a doorway. With the
building of the cross gable, an additional 1 foot 6 inches was gained for the doorway and its double
doors. It also allowed for the removal of part of the original roof just inside the doorway, creating
an additional 2 feet 10 inches of headroom.

The circa-1905 garage doorway is seen in the 1914 photograph of the shed (fig. 25). Its
casing was a simple 1 by 6. The opening was angled at its upper corners. Along the top of the
opening, and extending 1 foot 3 1/2 inches down its sides, is a drip molding.9 The doorway had
double doors constructed from matched boards. As will be discussed shortly, the present garage
doors date to damage repairs made in 1953. They appear to be of similar construction to the circa-
1905 doors, and are hung with the original door hardware. Each of the two doors is 4 feet 1 inch
wide by 8 feet 4 inches high. They are angled at their outer, upper corners to conform to the shape
of the doorway opening. They swing on 22-inch strap hinges hung on pintles. The pintles are
marked "22". Other circa-1905 hardware on the doors include two cast-iron, I-shaped door latches.
The face of the latches has an elaborate cast pattern consisting of geometric floral and foliate motifs.

The circa-1905 threshold for the garage doorway has been replaced. However, it was
probably similar to the existing one— a 2 by 8 with beveled edges. In front of the garage doorway
is a concrete frame measuring 13 feet long by 2 feet wide, into which I-beams measuring 2 1/2
inches are set. This indicates that the doorway originally had a wooden ramp. All of the wood for
this ramp has rotted away.

Access to the garage was from Fairmount Street. Patching in the spruce pole fence and
remnants of brick paving identify the location of the driveway.

Alterations to Fenestration. Other alterations made to the exterior of the shed circa 1905
were the installation of a pair of windows in the north wall of the west portion of the shed, and the
cutting of an opening for a vent near the peak of the south wall of the shed.10 The frames of the
north- wall windows were constructed of boards measuring 4 1/2 by 3/4 inches, and nailed with wire
nails. The sides and tops of the windows were flashed with zinc strips. The sashes of the windows

9 See Appendix B, Shed Profile B.

10 See Appendix B, Shed Profile C.

Shed Architectural History

were two-over-two and double-hung. The vent opening in the south wall consisted merely of a
rectangular opening covered by a piece of wire. The sides of the rectangular opening were parallel
to the slopes of the main shed roof. The interior construction of this vent will be described in detail
subsequently.

Addition of Gutter. A gutter was hung on brackets on the east side of the shed during the
circa- 1905 work. They are seen in the 1914 photograph of the shed. The gutter was wood, and
measured 4 1/2 inches; the brackets were also wood. The gutter and brackets were secured with
wire nails. The downspout for the gutter ran down the northeast corner of the shed.

Interior Elements

Floor. The original first-story floor west of the interior framing system was replaced,
including the floor joists. The new floor joists were 2 by 10s, placed approximately 1 foot 8 inches
on center. They ran north-south and sat on the finished edge of the inner course of foundation
stonework.

The construction of the new floor was unusual. Matched boarding was nailed to the
underside of the floor joists immediately after the latter 's installation. The portions of the north and
south walls between the floor joists were filled in with a hard portland-cement mortar and small
stones. This mortar overflowed onto the matched boards, forming small ledges. This overflow was
revealed when the matched boards were removed recently, having become deteriorated. The
overflow indicates that the matched boards were installed prior to the filling between the joists.

With the matched boards in place and the foundation walls patched, the space between the
floor joists was filled with 6 inches of sawdust. The first-floor floorboards, which were 2 by 9
tongue-and-groove boards, were then nailed in place with wire nails. The greater thickness of the
circa- 1905 floor joists and floorboards make the floor in the west portion of the first story 5 inches
higher than the original floor in the east portion.

The circa- 1905 floor was constructed in this manner to serve two purposes. First, the 2-by-
10 floor joists and the 2-inch-thick floorboards were more than adequate support for any car that
could have been parked in the first story of the shed. The depth of the floor joists, and the matched
boards nailed to the underside of the floor joists, also provided a contained space for the sawdust
used to insulate the ceiling of the root cellar.

In the southwest corner of this floor, an opening roughly 10 inches square was cut to ventilate
the root cellar. The vent itself consisted of a wooden casing lined with metal. It ran up the south
wall of the shed to a height of 7 feet 5 inches, where it turned and ran diagonally up to the vent
opening near the peak of the south wall.

Utility Systems

Entries in the account book of Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., indicate that the sink and electric
service were also installed in the shed circa 1905. On December 8, 1905, $15.96 was paid to Clark
and Mills Electric Co. for work on the automobile house. The electric lines for the shed ran

Shed Architectural History

overhead from the northwest corner of the barn to the peak of the gable on the south side of the
shed. The interior wiring for the shed was the knob-and-tube type. There was a circular switch on
the south side of the garage doorway, and a single suspended socket and bulb in the center of the
garage portion of the shed. There is no indication that any other portions of the shed ever had
electric lights.

On January 6, 1906, Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., paid Kendrick Brothers $41.95 for
"Plumbing Labor and Supplies for Auto House."11 This payment was undoubtedly for the running
of a 1-inch lead water line into the shed through the north foundation wall, then along the north and
west walls of the shed to a sink located in the southwest corner of the first story. A T-connection
in the pipe, just inside the foundation wall, indicates that there was also a water faucet in the root
cellar. The source of water for the shed line is unknown. It is not shown on the 1904 site plan for
the property, onto which all existing and later water supply lines and drains have been plotted.

The circa- 1905 shed sink has a rectangular metal basin. It measure 2 feet 6 inches by 1 foot
5 inches and had angled, beveled sides. A single faucet supplied water to the sink. A 2-inch lead
drain pipe ran out of the bottom of the sink and through the north wall of the shed. This drainpipe
deposited water right at the base of the shed foundation, and has caused the sill and lower portion
of the sheathing boards here to rot.

East Portion of the Shed

Only minor alterations were made to the cellar story at the east end of the shed circa 1905.
The present-day concrete floor and storage bin along the north side of the root cellar may have been
poured at this time: the concrete used for this floor is similar to that used for other circa- 1905 work.
As stated previously, a matched-board ceiling was installed to hold a layer of insulating sawdust in
between the ceiling joists (first-story floor joists). Another alteration that may have occurred at this
time was the building of a stairway along the east end of the south wall. All elements of this
stairway have since been removed. However, it was probably a simple ladder type, similar to that
in the barn. Floorboard cuts indicate that the stairwell opening measured 1 3 feet long by 2 feet 1
inch wide. This required the removal of the southernmost original floor joist here. Wire nails used
to renail the floorboards around the opening suggest that the opening was created circa 1905. The
exact date when the stairway was removed is unknown.

Chanees Circa 1905-1983

Only minor, maintenance-related alterations have been made to the shed since circa 1905.
A partition was built between the west and east portions of the first story circa 1913, directly above
the interior foundation wall. The building of this wall necessitated the removal of three of the four
original diagonal braces here. The roof-support role of these braces was taken on by the remaining
southernmost brace, by new 2 by 4s placed vertically, and by the new 2 by 4s used to frame the new
doorway in the center of the partition.

11 Account book of Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., March 14, 1905-June 6, 1906. Frederick Law Olmsted
NHS.

Shed Architectural History

The partition is sheathed with "Compo-board." One of the pieces of Compo-board is reused
from a packing crate from the Olmsted firm. The label from the crate reads as follows:

Architectural League of New York
Twenty-eighth Annual Exhibition, 1913

Exhibitor: Olmsted Brothers

Brookline, Massachusetts

Plans, Elevation and Details for Formal Garden of Chester Thome,
near Tacoma, Washington

From this label, a date of circa 1913 has been assigned to the building of the partition wall.

The door in the doorway at the center of the partition is a typical circa- 1883 door, reused
from the house.12 It is hung with 14-inch T-strap hinges, but retains parts of its original butt hinges
with ball finials. The doorknob is missing, but the brass rose and box lock are still in place.

Records of alterations made to the shed are nearly nonexistent for the years from 1913 to
1953. Physical investigation and historic photographs suggest that little work, other than general
maintenance, was done to the shed during this time (figs. 27-28). At the west end of the south wall,
which backs up to the sink inside the shed, the lower portions of the exterior cladding boards were
replaced. The cladding boards on the east wall also were cut and patched. The wood-shingle roof
was replaced with a green asphalt-shingle roof by 1931. The roof was reshingled again before
I960.13

In 1953, a U.S. Postal Service truck slid off Fairmount Street into the northwest corner of
the shed. In a letter to Olmsted Brothers dated February 25, 1953, the M.E. Hennessy Company
gave the following cost estimate and summary of repairs required:

We estimate the cost of repairs to the wooden garage facing towards Fairmount
Street on your property would cost One Hundred Seventy-eight Dollars ($178.00).
This refers to the damage done by the U.S. Postal Truck on February 14, 1953. It
consists of repairs to doors, hinges, frame and casing, front left corner and the left
side-wall near the front.14

Examination of the northwest corner of the shed reveals that all of the cladding boards on
this part of the shed have been replaced, as well as both garage doors and the north side of the
garage-doorway frame. These repairs were made with wire nails, and used 7-inch, rather than 9-
inch, sheathing boards. Paint samples taken from the cladding boards from this part of the shed

12 See Appendix B, Shed Profile D.

13 Interview with Artemas Richardson, March 1981.

14 Letter from M.E. Hennessy Company to Olmsted Brothers, February 25, 1953. Frederick Law Olmsted
NHS.

Shed Architectural History

contain only one layer of brown latex paint, while samples taken from other cladding boards also
contain earlier layers of red and brown lead-based paint. 15

The exterior of the shed was repainted light brown in 1957, along with the house, offices,
and barn. In 1968, when the other structures at the site were repainted green, the shed was not
painted. Its present color scheme is brown cladding boards with dark green trim.

Restoration by the National Park Service

Exterior Elements

When acquired by the National Park Service, the shed had suffered from years of deferred
maintenance. The exterior cladding boards contained rotted areas, especially along the foundation
of the shed. The east side of the shed roof was sagging. The most serious damage had been caused
by inadequate drainage at the east end of the building. Here, the sill had completely rotted away,
causing significant settling of the building. The lower portions of the corner posts and the cladding
boards of the east wall also contained extensive rot. There seemed to be two principal sources for
this moisture— the deteriorated gutter and missing downspout, and the raised grade of the driveway
that surrounds the east wall of the shed.

The other area of the shed that had succumbed to moisture-related damage was the west
elevation. During the investigation work conducted for the preparation of this report, the
westernmost floor joist was found to be rotten, and was removed. The source of the moisture that
caused this rot appeared to be water run-off from the hill into which the shed was built. Penetration
of this water into the shed was aided by the deterioration of the wooden ramp that led up to the
garage doorway. Damage was especially bad at the south end, which backed up to the garage sink
inside the shed.

In 1983, the shed was restored by the preservation crew of the Frederick Law Olmsted NHS.
This work included repointing the exterior foundation walls. The mortar used was mixed at 5 parts
sand to 3 parts lime. The grade along the east wall of the shed was lowered. It could only be
reduced about 2 inches, without regrading the entire adjacent parking lot. However, this was
sufficient to put the cladding boards on the wall above grade. Rotted wood framing members were
replaced in kind. This included the replacement of the east- wall sill, which reduced the sag in the
east roof so substantially that no supplementary bracing was added. Rotted cladding boards also
were replaced in kind. The exterior of the shed was then painted with oil-based exterior house
paints. The cladding boards were painted gray-brown (Munsell 5YR 5/2; Benjamin Moore GN-31);
the wood trim was painted dark green (Munsell BG 3/1; Benjamin Moore "Essex Green").

The asphalt-shingle roof on the shed was replaced in 1986 with new asphalt shingles.

15 See Appendix A, "Shed Finishes," samples FRLA P001, P009, and P011-P014.

Shed Existing Conditions and Recommendations

Interior Elements

Around the sink, the sill and many of the cladding boards were rotted. Some of these
cladding boards had been replaced previously. Several of the floorboards below the sink were
riddled with holes made by carpenter ants. However, the infestation appeared to have been very
localized and did not appear to be active.

The matched-board ceiling in the root cellar was also significantly deteriorated when the
preparation of this report began. Several areas of the ceiling were missing, and the sawdust
insulation that it held in place was spilling into the root cellar. To facilitate the physical investigation
of the structure, this ceiling and the sawdust insulation were removed. Their removal revealed minor
areas of rot on the undersides of the floor joists— the side of the joists surrounded by sawdust.

Utility Systems

The NPS installed a modern intrusion-alarm system in the shed in 1980. A perimeter fire-
detection wire was installed in 1982. Both detection systems were connected to the barn through an
underground cable.

EXISTING CONDITIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The shed is generally in excellent condition at this time. However, it retains the knob-and-
tube electrical wiring service that was installed circa 1905. The circa- 1905 water line, which served
the garage sink and the root cellar, has been disconnected.

The shed should continue to be maintained in its present condition for its present use.

FIGURES FOR THE SHED

rsHN oaism^JUniSPOQ?"^ oaiswi

•a

■a

v©
00
On

v©
00
ON

a
o

-*
M

o
o

i mr T£-

b. ■

Photograph RwiSw

:■>■*-. y: ;•#■*

H^WfX_4Sr4"6kl'^ Sri

Thermov

/^^..9.\ y O*1^

THE UNDERWRITERS' BUREAU
OF NEW ENGLAND

*•* 141 MILK STi, BOSTON ■ •

hb Mi.'f-5--
Servers* ^rri^Rm.-* N0.l.^"^^'

Hearer Rm.

Print Room

^Dr^hK.ng ^

r&ugtiiyp Kms.' ~.'
Lunch Room •;"■'■■"

* *•* . r o'la NX *^p' - . ■ • i *. - ^ •* ■. » ■ , ■

Figure 26. Site plan for the Olmsted property, June 30, 1914.

■— I

c
.o
*■«— i

03
>

THE FENCES

INTRODUCTION

The Frederick Law Olmsted NHS has four different types of historic fences around and
within the property (fig. 29). The property perimeter is enclosed with three of these types: a spruce
pole fence running along Warren, Dudley, and Fairmount Streets; a stone wall running along the
south (Gardner Estate) property line; and a metal fence running along the west (Clark sisters')
property line. Within the property, a stockade-type board fence surrounds the wood-storage area on
the north side of the barn. A fence of this type also runs between the barn and the shed. In
addition, a lattice fence surrounds the laundry yard, located between the west wall of the house and
the south wall of the barn.

SPRUCE POLE FENCE

The spruce pole fence was erected by Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr., the year after he
purchased the property. It is the most extensive and noteworthy of the site's fences. It was installed
as part of the extensive alterations that Olmsted made to the property between 1883 and 1884 (figs.
30-34). Its installation coincided with the moving of the barn from the south lawn to the northwest
corner of the house, and the abandoning of the drive across the south lawn.

As the site's principal perimeter fence, the spruce pole fence formed a rustic frame for
Fairsted's landscape and buildings. Its elaborate spruce pole arch, which spanned the front
driveway, created a dramatic point of entry to the site (figs. 35-36). The spruce pole fence also
functioned to support the perimeter plantings of euonymus (fig. 37).

Architectural History

Description as Originally Built

Location

Since the spruce pole fence has been altered and rebuilt extensively in its 100-year history,
the 1887 site plan (fig. 38) and several early photographs showing the fence provide the best
documentation for its original route. No archeological investigation was conducted to identify the
original location of the fence's post holes, or the strata of the walks and drives shown on the 1887
site plan. On the 1887 site plan, the spruce pole fence is shown running along Warren Street. Since
no differentiation is made on the 1887 site plan between fence lines and the lines identifying drives
and paths, historic photographs proved critical for identifying the fencing.

Along Warren Street, the spruce pole fence had two openings. One was at the driveway, at
the corner of Warren and Dudley Streets. The other, located approximately 110 feet south of the
driveway, was an angled opening to a footpath that connected to the circular front driveway. Figure
39, a photograph of the house taken circa 1885, shows the latter opening. It is the angled, double
portion of fence at the right side of the house. Figures 35 and 36 show the portion of the Warren
Street fence that is blocked by the house in figure 39. They illustrate well the front driveway arch
and the curve of the fence at the junction of Dudley and Warren Streets. Figures 40-41 show
portions of the spruce pole fence that ran along Dudley and Fairmount Streets, and part of the fence
that ran along the rear drive to the newly relocated barn. The south end of this fence, with its
terminus near the barn, is shown in figure 42. A portion of the spruce pole fence along Fairmount
Street is also shown in this photograph.

On the 1904 site plan (fig. 43), the perimeter property fence is shown with an alternating
long and short line. The location of the spruce pole fence remains essentially the same as shown on
the 1 887 site plan. Portions of the fence along the east side of the rear driveway had been removed
by this time to accommodate the building of the Plans Vault and Planting Department. An opening
had also been made in the spruce pole fence on Fairmount Street, for a driveway to the garage that
was made by remodeling the first story of the shed circa 1905. Existing fence posts, as well as lines

Fences Spruce Pole Fence

and labeling on the 1904 site plan, indicate that this drive was lined with a spruce pole fence. A gate
in the south side of this fence opened to the path leading down to the west side of the barn.

Unlike the 1887 site plan, the 1904 site plan shows a fence along the west (Clark sisters')
property line. The graphic symbol used to denote the location of this fence— an alternating long-and-
short line— is the same as used to identify the perimeter spruce pole fencing. However, it varies
slightly from that symbol, in that the long line is slightly shorter than the long line used to denote
the spruce pole fence. This suggests that the west property-line fence was another type of fence.
Figure 44, a site plan for the west boundary of the property dated May 6, 1915, identified this
portion of the fence as a wire fence. Since the spruce pole fence has continued to be used in its
original location since it was erected circa 1884, it seems unlikely that a section of it would have
been erected along the west property boundary, and replaced with a metal fence 1 1 years later. It
is therefore assumed that the west property boundary was never enclosed by a spruce pole fence.

Method of Construction

Fence

The spruce pole fence employed spruce fence posts measuring 5 1/2 to 6 inches in diameter
(fig. 45). The posts ranged in height from about 5 to 6 feet, depending on their location in the
fence. The posts were buried about 3 feet into the ground. They were placed approximately 7 feet
8 inches apart in the straight runs of fence, and about 6 feet 5 inches apart in its curved portions.

Nailed to the posts were two horizontal rails. The posts were notched out approximately 2
inches to receive the lower rail. The upper rail was nailed to the top of the post. The spruce poles
were nailed to these rails. The majority of the rails in the original fence appear to have measured
2 by 5 inches, with the poles nailed to the narrower side (fig. 45). However, a photograph taken
between 1902 and 1912 of the back side of the fence along the rear driveway (fig. 46) shows the
spruce poles nailed to the wide sides of what appear to be 2 by 4s. Since this portion of the fence
had been altered when the Planting Department and Plans Vault were built, the 2 by 4 rails may not
be original.

The spruce poles themselves were thin, individual poles that retained their bark. They ranged
from 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter. The height of the poles varied from about 5 to 7 feet, with the
tallest poles being located on either side of the opening for the front driveway. These taller poles
formed the tapering sides of the arch over the driveway. The spruce poles were nailed to the
horizontal rails with cut nails; cut-nail holes can be found in some of the original rails.

Arch

The construction of the arch over the front driveway was considerably more complex than
the straight and curved lengths of fence. Fortunately, the construction drawings for the arch are on
file in the Olmsted archives (figs. 30-34). They reveal that the arch was 14 feet wide, 3 feet 4
inches deep, and 10 feet high. Its sides were constructed with two vertical posts. The posts
supported a roof frame of modified gable-end, center-ridge design. (Its modifications were that the
north and south ends of the roof framing were sloped.) The sides of the arch were covered with

Fences Spruce Pole Fence

single spruce poles placed vertically. The top of the arch was covered by two rows of spruce poles
running down the east and west sides of the ridge.

Openings and Gates

Some of the openings in the spruce pole fence had gates, while others did not. The one
remaining gate in the spruce pole fence is constructed with 2 by 4s (fig. 47). The gate frame is
rectangular with a diagonal brace. The spruce poles are nailed to the frame. It is hung with strap
hinges 1 foot 6 inches long. It is presumed that the historic gate at the southwest corner of the shed,
shown on the 1904 site plan, was constructed similarly.

Figure 46 shows that at least one gateless opening in the spruce pole fence had edges that
were "curled back" upon themselves to form a finished appearance. This was the opening leading
from the rear driveway to the courtyard of the Rear Office Entry. Figure 46 also shows (on the far
side of the back driveway) the former opening leading to the annuals garden, which was closed up
when the parking lot was created in 1926. This opening also appears to have had curled edges.

Additions/Alterations

Any discussion of alterations to the spruce pole fence in the 20th century must be prefaced
by the statement that at one time or another, nearly every part of this fence was rebuilt. Almost all
of the nails found in the fence prior to its rebuilding in 1984 were wire nails that postdated 1900.
Most of the spruce poles, spruce posts, and horizontal rails have been replaced; even the remaining
original ones have been renailed. The variation in the materials used to repair the spruce pole fence
indicates that it has been a continual maintenance problem.

The 1904 site plan remained the most accurate and detailed site plan for Fairsted until 1982,
when the Paulette-McQueary plan was prepared. During that period, the Olmsted firm made
numerous changes to the property that were marked on the 1904 site plan. Unfortunately, no
notations were made identifying alterations that were made to the spruce pole fence. A glance at the
1982 site plan reveals that numerous alterations were made between 1904 and 1982, due to neglect
and property use changes. It is impossible to pinpoint the dates of these alterations in the absence
of written and photographic documentation. Hence, a liberal and broadly defined use of "circa"
dates was employed in the following discussion.

Aside from substantial routine maintenance, some specific alterations were made to the spruce
pole fence during this period. In 1926, when the annuals garden was ripped out and made into the
firm's parking lot (fig. 48), the opening in the west side of the rear driveway fence was widened
(fig. 49).

Circa 1930, the opening in the fence for the Warren Street footpath was closed with fencing,
since the path had been abandoned by this time. Also, the arch over the front driveway collapsed
and was rebuilt (figs. 50-51). The new arch was constructed slightly differently from the original
arch: no short poles lined the inner sides of the arch. In order to accomplish the reconstruction, all
of the euonymus had to be cut from around the fence.

Fences Spruce Pole Fence

At some point, a new gate was built into the Dudley Street portion of the fence, at the east
corner of the North Drafting Wing (fig. 47). No documentation has been found to indicate when
this gate was added. It is not shown on the 1904 site plan. It was probably added circa 1930,
before the firm began to decline in size.

The arch over the front driveway collapsed again in 1958, and was not rebuilt until 1984 by
the National Park Service. During the early 1960's, the opening for the Fairmount Street driveway
was also closed with fencing. This related to the remodeling of the barn for use as a garage, which
relegated the garage in the shed to storage.

Other changes to the fence have resulted from neglect. By 1984, all of the fence lining the
rear driveway had fallen down, as had a portion of the fence along Dudley Street.

Reconstruction Work of 1984

Fence

By 1984, the spruce pole fence was in a state of advanced disrepair. Numerous posts were
rotted off, and some were missing altogether. Others had been replaced with wood or iron posts.
Many of the wood replacement posts had not been notched out to receive the lower rail. Also, rails
had been haphazardly replaced or repaired. Many replacement rails were of incorrect dimensions
(both diameter and length) and wood species, and they had been secured to the posts in a variety of
ways. Some of the upper rails had been spiked to the sides, rather than to the tops, of the posts.
A number of the spruce poles themselves were completely missing; others were rotted at their tops
and bottoms, and/or split where they were nailed to the rails.

In 1984, the deteriorated spruce pole fence was dismantled, discarded, and rebuilt with new
materials (figs. 52-53). This work was done by the restoration crew of the Frederick Law Olmsted
NHS. The spruce pole fence was rebuilt as originally constructed, incorporating the changes that
were made to the route of the fence to accommodate the construction of the office buildings and the
rear parking lot. The arch over the front driveway was also rebuilt (figs. 54-56).

Since thin spruce poles were no longer commercially available, they were purchased directly
from a forester in Maine. The spruce posts also came from this source. The cedar stock used for
the rails was purchased from a lumber company in Vermont. Records for the quantities of materials
purchased and their sources are on file at the Frederick Law Olmsted NHS.

The spruce posts used to reconstruct the fence were 5 1/2 to 6 inches in diameter, and they
varied in exposed heights from 4 feet 6 inches to 7 feet. The posts were spaced approximately 6 feet
5 inches apart on the curved sections of fence, and 7 feet 8 inches apart on the straight runs. This
was the spacing of the existing posts, and it coincided roughly with their locations as shown in the
historic photographs. Posts were set into the ground 3 feet, except where ledge made this
impossible. In those locations the posts were set in concrete.

Fences Spruce Pole Fence

The horizontal rails were rough-stock cedar measuring 2 by 5 inches. The lower rails were
set into the posts with 2-inch notches. The upper rails were nailed to the top of the posts. The
corner rails were cut with a curved face; the old rails served as patterns.

The spruce poles used for the new fence measured 1 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter. They were
slightly larger than the poles used for the original fence, because the thinner poles were not available
in sufficient quantity. The poles were nailed to the narrow edges of the rails, spaced at roughly eight
poles per foot of rail.

Arch

The arch over the front driveway was also rebuilt in 1984. Since it had collapsed in 1958,
all of its framing members and spruce poles were missing. Therefore, the 1883 drawings for the
arch by Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr., and historic photographs were used as the documentation for
its reconstruction. The drawings provided the overall dimensions for the arch. However, they did
not indicate how the curved sections of the arch framework were cut and joined. This was worked
out by the crew rebuilding the arch, but it is not known how closely the 1984 framework matches
the original. Spruce poles taper up to the height of the arch and cover its top, meeting at the ridge.

As rebuilt in 1984, the arch more closely resembles the arch as it was rebuilt circa 1930,
rather than as built in 1883. For example, there is no lining of spruce poles on the interior of the
arch.

Existing Conditions and Recommendations

The spruce pole fence is now in good condition, and should be maintained accordingly.

STONE WALL

The south property line at Fairsted is marked by a stone wall (fig. 57). It is not known
exactly when this wall was built, but it seems probable that it predates the property's purchase by
Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr. It may date to the circa- 18 10 division of the land and building of the
house by the Clark family.

The south stone wall is of dry construction. The size of the stones used for the wall varies
considerably. The wall's height ranges from approximately 2 to 3 feet; it is about 2 feet wide. This
wall is in good repair. No restoration work is proposed for the stone wall.

WIRE LINK FENCE

The west property boundary is delineated by a wire link fence. This fence appears to have
been erected before 1904, based on two facts. As stated previously in connection with the spruce
pole fence, the fence appears on the 1904 site plan, although it is not identified as a wire fence until
the site plan of 1915. Also, a tree has grown through the fence (figs. 58-59), and its large size
indicates that the existing wire link fence was undoubtedly erected before 1904.

There was also a section of wire link fence, with a gate, at the south side of the shed before
1926. This fence is visible in figure 60, a circa- 1920 photograph of the southeast corner of the shed
and the annuals garden. It is also shown on the "F.L. Olmsted Estate Plan for Garden of Annuals,
1926." It seems likely that the same type of wire link fence was used in this location as was erected
along the west property boundary.

Architectural History

Description As Originally Built

Location

The route of the historic wire link fence is the same as that today (see figures 43-44), except
that the northernmost 12 feet of fence have been removed and replaced with spruce pole fencing.

Method of Construction

The wire link fence was 3 feet 10 inches high, with a 2-inch-square mesh pattern. The gauge
of the wire used to construct the fence was three-sixteenths of an inch. A metal pipe 1 1/4 inches
in diameter ran along the top of the fence, to give it rigidity. The wire link fence was stapled to
spruce posts, called "stakes" on the 1915 site plan (fig. 44). The spruce posts were roughly 6 inches
in diameter and 3 feet 6 inches high. They appear to have been the same type of posts as were used

Fences Wire Link Fence

for the spruce pole fence. At the south terminus of the fence, there was no spruce post; the
horizontal metal pipe support was set into the stone wall.

Existing Conditions and Recommendations

The wire link fence is presently extensively deteriorated. The spruce posts are still in place,
but all are rotted, and large sections of the fence are falling due to lack of support. The posts have
been supplemented with additional, randomly placed spruce posts. The wire links themselves are
pitted with rust. No evidence has been found to indicate that this fence was ever painted. As noted
above, the northernmost 12 feet of this fence has been replaced with spruce pole fencing.

Restoration of the wire link fence should include the installation of new spruce posts. If
practical, only the five original posts should be used to support the fence. The wire link mesh
should be cleaned and treated with a rust-inhibiting agent. It should then be restapled to the spruce
posts. A portion of the missing 12 feet of fence appears to be in the neighbor's rubbish heap. The
National Park Service should try to obtain this section of fence, and then straighten, clean, and
reinstall it.

STOCKADE BOARD FENCE

A stockade board fence currently begins at the northwest corner of the Planting Department
(fig. 61). It runs westward across the rear driveway, and extends along and out past the north side
of the barn's open shed. It then turns northward (fig. 62) and runs to the freestanding shed.
Stockade board fencing of similar appearance was used during the historic period in this general
vicinity, but its specific location was different than that seen today.

Architectural History

Description As Originally Built

Location

A stockade board fence was erected at Fairsted sometime between 1883 and 1887 around a
rectangular wood yard located north and west of the barn. This fence is shown on the 1887 site plan
(fig. 38), although it is not labeled. It also appears on the 1904 site plan (fig. 43), where it is
labeled "Board Fence." (The fact that the enclosure had been expanded eastward by this time is
discussed subsequently in the section "Changes Prior to the 1960's.")

Method of Construction

The nature of the materials used for the 1887 wood-yard fence must be deduced from historic
photographs (figs. 63-65), and from remnants of the fence that have been reused in the existing
fences. A few of the original stockade board pickets seem to have been reused in the fence along
the north side of the woodshed. The boards are 6 3/4 to 7 inches wide, three-quarters of an inch
thick, and 5 feet 6 inches tall. They have a decorative notch near their top ends. They can be
distinguished by their brown and red paint, and by the broken-off cut nails at the locations of the
earlier horizontal rails. They have been renailed to modern 2 by 4s with wire nails.

Additions/ Alterations

Changes Prior to the 1960's

Enlargement of the Wood Yard/Building of the West Barn Fence

The site plan of 1904 (fig. 43) indicates that the open shed had been added to the north end
of the barn by this time, and that the southeast corner of the wood-yard enclosure had been swung
outward to accommodate a new gate. Figure 64 is a view of this gate from inside the wood yard.
The plan also shows a second stockade board fence, running along the west side of the barn; it
terminated at a point about two-thirds of the length of the barn. The plan does not show any fence
running from the barn to the shed.

Fences Stockade Board Fence

Addition of Shed Fence

Sometime after 1904 and before 1926, a third stockade board fence was built, extending
perpendicularly from the north side of wood-yard fence toward the south side of the shed (compare
figures 43 and 48). This fence was of the same general type as the wood-yard and west barn fences,
with some differences. This is based on the fact that a few of its original stockade board pickets
have survived through reuse in the existing shed fence. These boards are 5 3/4 to 6 inches wide,
three-quarters of an inch thick, and 4 feet high. They have the same decorative notch as the pre-
1887 pickets, but they are smaller in scale.

One of the rails in the existing fence is also reused from the original fence. It is a 2 by 4,
with paint markings indicating that the board pickets were placed 1 1/2 inches apart.

Relocation of the Fences Circa 1960

The stockade board fences around the wood yard, along the west side of the barn, and to the
shed were rebuilt sometime in the 1960's. (Compare figures 48 and 29— site plans from 1926 and
1982, respectively.) All sections of all fences were dismantled. A new fence was built
approximately 10 feet farther south than the north side of the old wood-yard fence. The new fence
began at the northwest corner of the Planting Department and extended westward across the rear
driveway. It then ran along the north side of the barn's wood-storage shed, directly under the
overhang of the shed's roof. It continued out past the wood-storage shed, then turned northward
(fig. 62) to run toward the south wall of the shed. It intersected the shed wall at a point 3 feet east
of where the old shed fence met the wall. (This location is evident from a paint line on the south
wall of the shed.) This work was primarily done to provide additional space in the firm's parking
lot.

There were two gates in this fence— at the east end (fig. 61), next to the Planting Department,
and at the northwest corner of the barn's wood-storage shed. They exhibited the same type of
construction as the rest of the fence.

Existing Conditions and Recommendations

The stockade board fence is satisfactory in terms of historic construction details and
condition, but it is not historic in terms of overall configuration or location.

When the rear parking area is restored, the current stockade board fence should be removed.
New stockade board fences should be built in the proper circa- 1930 locations. These locations are
the same as those shown on the 1904 site plan. This work should include the rebuilding of the
portion of the fence along the west side of the barn.

LATTICE FENCES

The lattice fences were probably built in 1883, as part of the extensive alterations that
Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr., made to the property shortly after he purchased it. The fences were
associated with the landscaping of the newly relocated barn and rear driveway. They are shown on
the circa-1887 site plan (fig. 38), and in early photographs of the property (e.g., figure 39).

The lattice fences were originally erected in two locations: around the service yard, on the
east side of the barn (fig. 66); and around the laundry yard, located between the west end of the
house and south end of the barn (fig. 67). Latticework was also used for the west wall of the
breezeway; along the south side of the Planting Department's basement areaway (fig. 68); and— as
explained previously— in a strip 2 feet 8 inches high atop the east wall of the carpentry shop.

None of the original lattice fences remain today, so their height, component materials, and
method of construction can only be based on historic photographs, and on the existing west wall of
the breezeway. The breezeway latticework is framed with 2 by 4s. The lattice is constructed with
strips one-quarter of an inch thick and 1 1/4 inches wide, placed 1 3/4 inches apart. The strips are
secured with cut nails. It is assumed that the lattice fences were built similarly.

Nearly all of the fence around the service yard had been destroyed by 1903, based on figure
69. This photograph shows only a small portion of the fence remaining, near the west wall of the
Clerical Department; it appears that it may have been moved there temporarily during the 1903
alterations to the house.

The lattice fence around the laundry yard was removed when the pool was installed in 1968
(figs. 70-71). However, when the pool and brick terrace were removed from the south side of the
house in 1985-1986, the lattice fence around the laundry yard was rebuilt. The 1904 site plan was
used to lay out the route of the fence, and historic photographs were used for its design. Figure 72
is a photograph of the rebuilt fence.

FIGURES FOR THE FENCES

Sri

i i
hi

liiii

jfepi

i IJd iHiPLiipiil 1 1 I \huilH, t\ Mink it ■;, ■, .

Jj i

llli:il!!*lii!!

00
»— I

03
O

.ta
o

.4>

o
ex

u
o

TO
o

>-.

on
U

.53

o
a.

00
00

i-H

u
J3
>.

a
o

o
ex

D-
00

ui.
"I

T— I

.sa

.a
u

J^J

>
"3
ii
P

O.
C/0

xT
u

>»

1)
>

•c

a
o

• —

•4-1
>

o
H

1—1

crt
O

o
>>

•c

•a

ea
o

.a
o

8
fa

a
o
73

«j

■ 1 1

On
00

4)
>

in t
w »

> Q H i I

l P i « I

FAlRMOUVT

Voce

PZOPoszo ro fit coni/e. yeo to

LILIAN -J1ASTINGJ- TtlOMPJO'

3CALL ZOFT't JN.

LAHDSCAPt ARCHITECT

38.ookline Mas*
6 th May,

St-o1c«

«
X

\>f

t-aka

7<?

^
•*£'

--*>.

<-\

|Slbk.«

/}&£./* ABOUT 6JOOSQ.fr
(To he conv*yed"J

Jit.'* '7/t

ft
JM

7ft>

<<J

^-Center- fine of houlder waJJ

£Ls£ate ofc/ohn L. Gardner

■s

C/5

r*Vfi *

„ ' ~«*£ ■

^ ««**

r~%* %

H®

1 .\ -***■<*

wee*

*•*?

'■tit

ON
I

M
o

I lilt

Figure 47. Spruce pole fence: gate at northeast corner of North Drafting Wing, circa 1930.

IO j

F E - wis

O
O

■a

1/3

100

in
tn

CTs

.sa

03
O

.S
>>

■is

I
o

a.
on

101

r— I

.•a

■8

o
a.
«

102

Figure 51. Spruce pole fence: front driveway arch, circa 1930.

103

'"3

•8
•<t

3
T3

•*— •

•R

6
'•3
<J

.4)

■o

.•3
3
X)

00
C\

■s

o
o,

<L>

105

Figure 54. Spruce pole fence: reconstruction of the front driveway arch during the 1984 rebuilding.

106

U
l-i

3
T3

c
o

C/3

IT)

107

oo
o\

a,
E
o
o

.c
>

o
o.

<u
o

108

109

110

00
ON

111

ON
»— I

CQ
O

.S3
o

■a

3
O

112

1— I

if
o
a
,i>

o
x>
u

+->

M^^H^^M *

■MBMUMMBaBM

113

v©
00
On

«
O

.S3
u

<u
o

o
U

114

n
o

•a
o

i>
o

X3
"O

</5

115

(4
O

.fcJ

o
<u

116

-**

Figure 65. Stockade board fence: detail of newel of section along west side of barn, circa 1930.

117

u
o

118

Figure 67. Lattice fence around laundry yard, 1910.

119

If**"..* '" **^<N "1

|fc""*ki""'"r||f 'iff' " W'

I I

■3

e
-s

c
o
13

u
o

<4-

120

Figure 69. View of north elevation of the house, circa 1903, showing the lattice fence

removed from the service yard.

121

■

00
ON

<u
-3

o
u

S
I

122

.—i

123

00
On

<+-

'5
3

124

BARN AND SHED: APPENDICES

125

APPENDIX A.

Exterior Finishes Analysis

127

BARN FINISHES

Historic Finishes

The historic exterior paint scheme for the barn, based on the paint analysis conducted for this
report, is:

Wall shingles
Trim

dark red
dark green

Munsell 7.5R 3/4
Munsell 2.5BG 3/2

The following sections are summaries of the information obtained during the analysis.

Finishes for the Main Barn

Paint Sample Number

Location

Paint Sequence

East Elevation:

FRLA 03 P010
FRLA 03 P008
FRLA 03 P009

FRLA 03 P011

double doorway - door
double doorway - casing
north doorway - casing

north doorway - door

FRLA 03 P012

south doorway - door

white, green

dark green
dark green
brown/brown
gray
brown
dark green

dark red
dark green
dark green
dark green
dark green
gray/green
gray /dark green

same sequence as north door

129

Appendix A. Exterior Finishes

Barn Finishes

FRLA 03 P001

northeast corner board

5 reds

2 grays

brown

(corner board not painted last

time barn painted)

FRLA 03 P002

clapboards - south
of double doorway

same as P001

South Elevation:

FRLA 03 P014

clapboards -

white

original south

white

wall (north

white

wall of carpentry

red

shop since

circa 1885)

West Elevation:

FRLA 03 P015

shingles (cut nails,

red

however; second

red

shingling)

gray
brown

FRLA 03 P003

first-story door

dark green
dark green
gray
green

FRLA 03 P007

second-story door

tan

dark green

red

dark green

gray

brown

130

Appendix A. Exterior Finishes

Barn Finishes

North Elevation:

FRLA 03 P016

cornice board

FRLA 03 P017

clapboards (below
shed roof)

tan

red

dark green

red

dark green

red

dark green

gray

brown

green

white/red/red

FRLA 03 P018
FRLA 03 P019

corner board

water-table board

FRLA 03 P020

window casing

white/red/red

red/red

(paint on sample significantly

deteriorated; sample may have

originally had early white

paint)

red/green

131

Appendix A. Exterior Finishes

Barn Finishes

Finishes for the Carpentry Shop

Paint Sample Number

Location

Paint Sequence

East Elevation:

FRLA 03 P021

door

rose/red

(this door reused from the

house's former North Entry)

South Elevation:

FRLA 03 P023

door

white
green
green
green
white

FRLA 03 P024

clapboards

red

gray

brown

green

North Wall:

FRLA 03 P022

door into
main barn

cream

white

green

gray

132

SHED FINISHES

Fourteen paint samples were removed from the exterior of the shed to help comparatively
date exterior building fabric, and to document the correct restoration colors. There is no paint on
the interior of the shed. Only the foundation walls are whitewashed.

Paint samples taken from the exterior of the shed reveal that it was unpainted for a number
of years. Prior to its repainting in 1983, most of the shed had only been painted twice. No paint
was found on the vertical cladding boards under the north window casing installed circa 1905. In
addition, photographs taken of the shed before 1926 (figs. 26-27) indicate that it appears to have
been unpainted.

The year that the shed was first painted is unknown. Both of the early layers of paint on the
shed are lead-based paints; because the paint used on the circa-1953 repairs was a latex paint, it is
assumed that the lead-based layers were applied prior to that date.

The first paint scheme for the shed was dark red sheathing boards with dark green trim; the
second paint scheme was brown sheathing boards with dark green trim.

The underside of the cross-gable overhang, and the casing of the garage doorway, appear to
have been an exception to this paint scheme. This circa- 1905 architectural fabric contains five,
rather than two, layers of paint (FRLA 04 P005, P013). The layering sequence on this building
fabric is: gray, dark green, red, dark green, and dark green. These samples suggest that these
elements were painted in the years before the entire building was painted.

The paint samples from the shed (FRLA 04 P001-P014) are on file at the Building
Conservation Branch of the Cultural Resources Center, Lowell, MA.

133

APPENDIX B.

Molding Profiles

Molding profiles taken by Andrea Gilmore;
final drawings by Jana Gross.

135

BARN MOLDING PROFILES

DOOR PANEL MOLDING
Rear Barn Door

CARPENTRY SHOP
DOOR PANEL
MOLDING; main
Barn side,
Carpentry Shop
side; 4 plain
recessed panels

MAIN BARN - WEST WALL
window south of
center door

MAIN BARN - WEST
WALL, window

south of center

door

MAIN BARN - EAST
WTNDOW, north si do
center door

MAIN BARN
EAST WINDOW,
south side Barn
door

137

CARPENTRY SHOP MOLDING PROFILES

SOUTH WINDOW MUNTIN

SOUTH WINDOW MUNTINS

WEST WINDOW -
north hinged
portion

glazing

■WEST WINDOW -
south portion

EAST DOOR, exterior
muntin; same muntin on
west Carpentry Shop
window

EAST DOOR -
interior muntin

EAST DOOR -
interior panel
molding

EAST DOOR -

exterior molding where
two halves of door meet

138

SHED MOLDING PROFILES

Exterior -
Gable Cornice
Trim

Exterior -

Drip Molding Around

Garage Door Opening

Interior -
Window Muntin

Interior -

Door Panel Holding

139

APPENDIX C.
Barn Doors

Drawn by Andrea Gilmore;
final drawings by Jana Gross.

141

Appendix C.

Barn Doors

CARPENTRY SHOP DOORS

ELEVATIONS

■SOUTH DOOR
2' -6 1/2" X 6' -6"

o
0

•EAST DOOR
3'-6" X 6'-8"

RE-USED DOOR from
North Entry of the
House

143

CARPENTRY SHOP DOORS

ELEVATIONS

2'- A 3/4"

SOUTH SIDE

NOTES :l)Evidence of two sets of

earlier HL higes on

the north side of door.
2) Currently has a thumb

latch.
3)First finish of door

appears to have been

graining.
4)Door is located

between the shop

and barn.

NORTH SIDE

0 -Two Butt with
Pineapple top

144

APPENDIX D.

Shed Mortar Analysis

145

Introduction

Thirteen mortar samples from the shed were analyzed for the preparation of this report.
Sample locations were selected to help identify original (circa 1885) foundation walls, and later
alterations, particularly those from circa 1905. The samples analyzed fell into three groups. All
mortar samples and data sheets for the shed are on file at the Building Conservation Branch of the
Cultural Resources Center, Lowell, MA.

Group I

Group I include samples taken from the original foundation walls. Their sample numbers
and provenances are as follows:

FRLA 04 M001 - North wall, interior surface, outside root cellar doorway
FRLA 04 M002 - North wall, exterior surface
FRLA 04 M009 - South wall, exterior surface
FRLA 04 M0 11 - Outer wall of root cellar

These samples are natural-cement mortars, mixed to the ratio of 2 parts sand to 1 part natural
cement. The sand used for this mortar is relatively coarse and contains a distinguishing amber grain.

Group II

The second group of samples was taken from around the root cellar doorway. They do not
match the original mortar used to construct this wall. However, they are natural-cement mortars,
which indicates that this doorway was an early addition to the root cellar. The sample numbers and
locations are:

FRLA 04 M003 - Inner root cellar wall, below the top of the doorway
FRLA 04 M004 - Brick around the root cellar doorway
FRLA 04 M007 - Area above root cellar doorways

These mortars are mixed to a ratio of 1 part sand to 1 part natural cement. The sand is gray /brown
in color and quite fine, although there are random larger grains.

147

Appendix D. Shed Mortar Analysis

Group ffl

The third group of mortars came from the circa- 1905 alterations to the shed. At this time,
the first-floor joists at the west end of the shed were replaced. The numbers and provenances of
these samples are as follows:

FRLA 04 M005 - Root cellar, north wall, west corner, top of inner wall
FRLA 04 M006 - Root cellar, north wall, mortar between joists
FRLA 04 M008 - Inner wall of root cellar (east wall)16
FRLA 04 M0 10 - Same as M008
FRLA 04 M0 12 - Root cellar floor

These samples are portland-cement mortars, mixed to a ratio of 3 parts portland cement to 4 parts
sand. The sand used for this mortar is relatively coarse and gray.

Miscellaneous

Mortar sample FRLA 04 M013, taken from the garage doorway ramp, does not fit into any
of the categories identified above. As stated in the report, the building of this ramp occurred after
circa 1905, and this mortar sample substantiates that statement. It is a portland-cement mortar,
mixed to a ratio of 1 part lime, 2 parts portland cement, and 5 parts sand. The sand used for this
mortar is gray.

16 The mortar of the east wall appears to have been replaced completely.

148

II. PRESERVATION/RESTORATION RECOMMENDATIONS

FOR THE ENTIRE SITE

149

PRESENT CONDITION OF THE SITE

The Olmsted site underwent a great deal of restoration in the 1980's. As stated previously,
the barn and shed were restored early in the decade, because they provided the workshop and storage
space needed for the restoration of the house and offices. Their asphalt-shingle roofs were replaced
later, in 1985-1986. The main preservation requirement for them should be only routine
maintenance for the next 5 to 10 years.

The restoration of the house and offices was accomplished according to a 4-year program
established in 1985. ' Year I was the first phase of the house restoration, when exterior work was
performed. Year II was the first phase of the office-complex restoration, which consisted of exterior
work for those structures. Year III was the second phase of the office-complex restoration, when
the interior work was performed on the various office structures. Year IV was the second phase of
the house restoration, which also consisted of interior work. Each year's work was to require a five-
to six-person restoration crew and funding of $150,000 to $200,000. The full 4-year program is
presented below. Changes to the program are noted in brackets and italic type. Further information
can be found in the completion reports for the various projects, and in the Frederick Law Olmsted
slide library, a cultural resource record that documents work performed from 1979 to 1992.

Year I: House, Phase 1 - Exterior Restoration

All necessary structural work

Removal of bay window, doorway in south wall of kitchen, and the restoration of the wall

Repointing of the foundation

Repair and replacement of rotted clapboards and wood trim

Repair of windows (frames, sashes, and blinds)

Repair and replacement of rotted gutters, fascia boards, and downspouts

Painting of all exterior fabric (clapboards, trim, windows, blinds, doors, gutters, etc.)

Repair and hanging of historic storm windows on all of the first story, and on the east and

south sides of the second story
Installation of heat cables at the edges of the roofs

Year II: Offices, Phase 1 - Exterior Restoration

All necessary structural repairs

Repointing of the foundation

Repair and replacement of rotted clapboards and wood trim

Repair of windows (frames, sashes, and blinds) not finished in Year I

Repair and replacement of rotted gutters, fascia boards, and downspouts

The program was laid out in a memorandum from Andrea M. Gilmore, architectural conservator with
the North Atlantic Historic Preservation Center, to E. Blaine Cliver, Chief of Historic Preservation for the
North Atlantic Region of National Park Service, dated May 1, 1985.

151

Recommendations for the Entire Site Present Condition

Painting of all exterior fabric (clapboards, trim, windows, blinds, doors, gutters, etc.)
Repair and hanging of historic storm windows on the first story of all office structures, and

on all stories of the Planting Department
Installation of heat cables at the edges of the roofs

Year III: Offices, Phase 2 - Interior Restoration

Stripping of nonhistone paint from first floor of Clerical Department and North Drafting

Wing. [The first story of Clerical Department was repainted instead.]
Restoration, cleaning, and painting of historic finishes
Minor carpentry repairs
Refinishing of wood floors
Installation of interior storm windows
Insulation of all interior crawl spaces and roofs, where possible. [This was not done.]

Note: The renovation of the Plans Vault was done under separate contract in 1988-1990.

Year IV: House, Phase 2 - Interior Restoration

Completion of the refurbishing of interior rooms (plaster patching and painting). [This has
not been completed; the park last worked on the interior in 1983-1 984. J

Refinishing of wood floors or installation of carpeting. [Wood floors were not refinished;
carpeting was installed by the park.]

Installation of interior storm windows

Installation of insulation under the attic floor and in the crawl spaces. [This was not done.]

Details of the restoration work are provided in a completion report entitled Restoration of Fairsted
House and Offices, prepared by Cultural Resources Center Exhibit Specialist Robert Fox in April
1990.2

Other Work

Exterior painting was completed on all buildings in 1988. Siding or body color is dark red
and trim is dark green. Details are provided in another completion report, entitled Exterior Painting
of Various Buildings and Structures and prepared in 1988.3

2 Robert Fox, Restoration of Fairsted House and Offices: Completion Report (Lowell, MA: Cultural
Resources Center, North Atlantic Region, National Park Service, April 1990).

3 Completion Report: Contract No. CX 1600-8-0017, NARO - Exterior Painting of Various Buildings and
Structures (Boston: North Atlantic Historic Preservation Center, North Atlantic Region, National Park Service,
1988).

152

IMPACT OF USE ON INTEGRITY OF STRUCTURES

No major structural changes have been made to, or are planned for, the house. The most
significant changes were accomplished in 1986, when the kitchen's bay window and the pool were
removed. Both of these were nonhistone features; the impact of their removal had no adverse effect.
Indeed, the effect was beneficial, in that these changes restored the house closer to its historic
appearance. Minor changes were made in certain rooms not open to visitors. These changes were
restricted to adding equipment and furnishings for staff office use, such as lighting, computers, and
carpeting. A paper-conservation laboratory was created out of a former study and small adjoining
room on the second story of the house (Rooms 204 and 207, respectively). No major structural
changes have been made to other structures. Restoration work on the office complex, barn, and shed
has had beneficial effect, with no adverse effect.

Use of the site as an archival resource center, and for public visitation and interpretation, has
had no adverse effect. If overuse becomes a problem, the National Park Service will use the least
restrictive means available for controlling the associated impact. Among these might be: staggered
hours, reduced frequency of large groups of visitors, use of moveable roll-down walkways in heavy
traffic areas, and the institution of an advance-reservation system.4 Advance reservation is already
required for research work in the archives collection.

4 General Management Plan: Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site. Boston: Division of Planning
and Design, North Atlantic Region, National Park Service, September 1983, amended 1987, pp. 37-39.

153

III. BIBLIOGRAPHY

155

Books and Reports

Bernholtz, Martha, and John Maounis. Collection Management Plan for Frederick Law Olmsted
National Historic Site [Draft], 1989. North Atlantic Region, National Park Service, U.S.
Department of the Interior.

Completion Report: Contract No. CX 1600-8-0017, NARO - Exterior Painting of Various Buildings
and Structures. Boston: North Atlantic Historic Preservation Center, North Atlantic Region,
National Park Service, 1988.

Feasibility /Suitability Study of the Frederick Law Olmsted Home and Office. Boston: North Atlantic
Region, National Park Service, June 1978, revised 1979.

Fox, Robert. Restoration of Fairsted House and Offices: Completion Report. Lowell, MA: Cultural
Resources Center, North Atlantic Region, National Park Service, April 1990.

General Management Plan: Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site. Boston: Division of
Planning and Design, North Atlantic Region, National Park Service, September 1983,
amended 1987.

Gilmore, Andrea M. "Preserving Historic Electric Lighting and Wiring at the Frederick Law
Olmsted National Historic Site." Bulletin: Association for Preservation Technology, Vol.
XVI, Nos. 3 & 4, 1984, pp. 31-38.

Completion Report: Contract No. CX 1600-1-0036, NARO - Reroofing. Boston: North Atlantic
Historic Preservation Center, North Atlantic Region, National Park Service, 1982.

Interpretive Prospectus: Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site. Harpers Ferry, WV:
Division of Interpretive Planning, Harpers Ferry Center, National Park Service, May 1986.

Lessley, Sharon, and Charles Pepper. Historic Vine and Trellis Restoration Project: Frederick Law
Olmsted National Historic Site [in progress], [publication info], 1989.

Mawson, Thomas H. The Life and Work of An English Landscape Architect.

Millman, Amy. Historic Resource Study: Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site. Boston:
Division of Planning and Design, North Atlantic Region, National Park Service, November
1982.

O'Gorman, James F. Henry Hobson Richardson and His Office— Selected Drawings . Boston: David
R. Godine, 1974.

Whitehill, Lucinda A. Historic Grounds Report and Management Plan: Frederick Law Olmsted
National Historic Site. Boston: North Atlantic Region, National Park Service, 1982.

157

Bibliography

Other Sources

Archives Collection, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site, Brookline, MA.

Historic American Building Survey (National Park Service), drawings for Fairsted (Frederick Law
Olmsted NHS), 15 sheets, 1982.

Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

158

%t>

fl5/s/.3

3 SlOfl 03517 ™Ji f

Internet Archive Audio

Featured

Top

Images

Featured

Top

Software

Featured

Top

Books

Featured

Top

Video

Featured

Top

Mobile Apps

Browser Extensions

Archive-It Subscription

Save Page Now

Full text of "Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site: Historic Structure Report"

See other formats